


Apptto! Precure - Insertion: Hagyuu

by haruharuman



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters, HuGっと！プリキュア | Hug tto! Precure, プリキュア | PreCure | Pretty Cure Series
Genre: Body Swap, Crossdressing, Crossover, Gen, Magical Boys, Magical Girls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-11-19
Packaged: 2019-06-17 04:25:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 34,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15453300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haruharuman/pseuds/haruharuman
Summary: The AppliDrivers and Precure end up swapping bodies, and still have to jump into actions amidst that awkward situation.





	1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

 

It was a nice crispy Sunday morning at Beauty Harry.

“Hana~!!” cried Hugtan, welcoming the girls. “Help~!”

Hana, whose name was for the first time called by the crawling baby, got her eyes full of dramatic tears.

“Hugtaaan~! You finally can say my name!” She picked up Hugtan and gave her nice loving snuggle.

“That’s good for you, Hana!” smiled Homare.

“Hugtan finally can say everyone’s name!” added Saaya.

But the baby resisted her.

“No!! Stop that, _ya_!”

The girls blinked. Especially Hana. She had to see Hugtan in her eyes to confirm that the voice just then was indeed Hugtan’s.

“I’m not Hugtan! I’m Harry, _ya_! Our bodies got swapped, _ya_!!”

Hana automatically went into her mountain-bluebird-shaped mouth mode.

“What...?”

“You’re... Harry?” pointed Homare.

“That’s right, _ya_! I’m Hariham Harry, _ya_!” The ‘Hugtan’ answered with suspiciously perfect Kansai accent.

The girls blinked again, before shaking Beauty Harry Shop with their big “EEHHHHHHHHHHHHH!??”


	2. Unexpected Guests

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The AppliDrivers make an entry

“Judging from the eccentric behavior and the perfect Kansai accent spoken by this Hugtan, it is 100% probability that she is no longer Hugtan we know,” dictated Ruru. “The real Hugtan is currently inside Hariham Harry’s body, who supposedly runs this shop and yet, here he is. Sleeping peacefully on the floor.”

“Well, we can see that ourselves...,” Homare sweatdropped. “But, still... I can’t believe they actually switched bodies...”

“Seeing Hugtan sleep in that miserable form is really disheartening, _na no desu_...”

“What d’ya mean it’s miserable?! That’s my body, _ya_!”

“You are right, Emiru. This can not be ignored, ” responded Ruru.

Employing her super strength, she picked up Harry’s tall body and put him... (or her? Since the inside was Hugtan...?) properly on a bed.

“Ruru~, you’re such a good guy, _ya na_...!” Harry-inside-Hugtan stared at Ruru, tearfully.

“I am just worried about Hugtan’s health. It is no good for babies to sleep on the floor, after all,” said Ruru unadornedly.

“Ah, I see....”

 

 --

 

In front of the store, Saaya was searching through both her laptop and Mirai Pad. Beside her, Hana was lazily watching. She’s pretty much disappointed by Hugtan still not being able to call her name.

“You found anything, Saaya?”

The glasses girl regretfully shook.

“Since I thought this was Criase’s doing, I thought I could find anything about body switching that might occur in our town, or even around the world. But it seems that this is the only case that happened recently. Even Mirai Pad didn’t give any clue about this.”

“So, this is not our enemy’s doing?” Homare appeared from inside the shop, carrying 'baby' Harry in her arms. Ruru and Emiru followed her.

“How was Hugtan?” asked Saaya. “I mean, Hugtan-inside-Harry...?”

“We gave her milk and lulled her to sleep. We’re lucky that Ruru was strong enough to carry and pat that big 'Harry' to burb her.”

“That’s good to hear,” said Hana. “ I was actually afraid how we took care of Hugtan in that form....”

“The problem left is how we get them back to normal...,” muttered Saaya.

Hana suddenly remembered something.

“I know!” she exclaimed.  “Harry! You’re in Hugtan body now, right? How about doing that magic-like things like Hugtan did when she saved me as I can’t transform, or when she called Cure Black and Cure White? ”

“Oh, that may work! Who knows that this is actually Hugtan’s doing, without herself realizing it!” Emiru chimed in. “Please do it, Mr. Mouse!”

“Why d’ya still call me that!? I’m not a mouse!”

The cornered Harry sighed at the girls waiting for his action.

“Well, I don’t think that was the case, but I’ll try it for ya....”

Harry lifted Hugtan’s small hands over her head. The crown-like thing on Hugtan’s head  was shimmering. The girls waited in anticipation for anything that might happen.

A sudden portal appeared up above.

“Wow, it really works!”  remarked Hana. Even Harry didn’t believe.

“But..., why is it a portal? Shouldn’t it be more like something that can undo the switch?” suggested Ruru.

“Something coming out!” warned Homare.

Something that came out the portal also let out screams as they fell to the ground.

“WAAAAAAAAAA!!”

“KYAAAAAAAAA!”

Or more precisely, towards Hana and the others.

The girls didn’t even manage to react as the sudden visitors smacked their heads against theirs.

Except Ruru. She jumped and neatly caught the boy falling to her direction.

“Are you alright?” She asked after they landed. The boy was on her arms.

“Ye-Yeah..., thank you...,” the boy stammered with his gratitude.

Ruru set the boy on his feet as soon as she had confirmed that he’s okay.

Groans of pain could be heard among Hana and the others, as well as the expected yet unexpected visitors.

As if being reminded, Ruru and the boy ran towards her friends.

“Everyone! Are you alright?!”

“Haru! Eri-san! Astra! Rei?”

 

\--

 

“Aw..., that really hurt, man...!"

“Emiru?” Ruru approached her best friend as she heard the voice. Though, that way of talking actually didn't mirror the usual Emiru.

"Haru, get a grip!"

The boy Ruru had saved also came for the other boy who seemed to be his best friend.

"Ugh..., Yuujin? ...Where...?"

The boy shifted his attention from his best friend, looking around to find the source of the voice calling his name. However, the red-headed boy ended up being confused as it turned out to be a half-awake random girl that he didn't even know her name yet.

"Ruru...?" A boy wearing hat stirred.

"Astra! You're awake!" Yuujin came to him. "Are you okay?"

The boy in hat didn't answer. Instead he tilted his head, confused. "'Astra'...?"

But as soon as he saw Ruru, the boy stood up and hugged the taller girl, "Ruru, are you alright?"

Ruru stammered, being touched by a complete stranger. "Ye...yes. But...."

"What's with this baby!? Get off me!"

Astra gasped, "Homare-san!"

He carefully picked up the baby, "This is Hug-tan's body! You shouldn't treat her like that!"

"In the end, yer all just worried about Hug-tan's body instead of my safety, huh...?" Harry-inside-Hugtan sighed, before blinked in realization. "Wait..., I don't know a weird boy like ya! Put me down!"

"That baby just...talk...!?" Homare seemed to be struggling to believe the phenomenon she should have been used to already.

"A weird...boy?" Astra lifted Harry to look at him directly. "What are you talking about, Mr. Mouse? I may be a little weird, but I am always a girl."

Harry spent ten seconds gaping, before speaking his mind . "Don't tell me..., you are...."

"Hey! What am _I_ doing there!?" Emiru rowdily pointed at Astra.

"Emiru...?" Ruru called her best friend's name in uncertainty.

"Ugh...what’s happening...?" A pale boy wearing black woke up, holding his head.

Meanwhile, the sole girl of the guests also stood up. She was a young girl near Hana’s age whose pink hair was kept in long twin tails. Her eyes were wandering around, looking for something.

“Oh, there it is.”

It was her glasses..., _that looked precisely like Saaya’s...?_

Saaya herself didn’t seem to realize that she wasn’t wearing her glasses. “Where are we...?” She wondered.

"Haru...!" Yuujin called his friend in relief. "Thank goodness you're awake! How are you feeling?"

The boy called Haru opened his eyes, but soon jumped in surprise at the relief face of the unfamiliar boy near him.

" _Mecchoku_! Who-who are you?!"

 

_'Who are you'_

 

_'Who are you'_

 

_'Whoareyou'_

 

Those words coming out in Haru's voice had completely occupied Yuujin's mind.

Assuming that his best friend had forgotten about him, Yuujin eyes went blank.

 

"Yuujin!!”

Hana rushed to the boy’s fainted body.


	3. A Confusing Introduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A confusing introduction. The Appmon buddies appear.

“I suppose, these will make it convenient for everyone.”

Ruru left ‘Hana’, after hanging a name plate around ‘her’ neck. Some letters **‘HARU’** written on it.

Beside ‘her’, there was ‘Saaya’ and her name plate read **‘ERI’**. ‘Emiru’ was **‘ASTRA’** , and ‘Homare’ was **‘REI’**.

On the other side, the mysterious guests were also given the similar plates. Except that they were marked with Hugtto! Precure members’ names. The boy wearing goggles and red jacket was **‘HANA’**. The pink-haired girl in twintails was **‘SAAYA’**. The blonde boy wearing hat and vest was **‘EMIRU’**. And the last one, who was a pale, dark-haired boy, wore **‘HOMARE’** name plate. And ‘he’ was currently frowning at Harry-inside-Hugtan, sitting on a high chair.

“You just made this worse!”

Harry-inside-Hugtan gasped at the accuse. “Hey! It’s not me who came up with the idea! So it's not my fault that y'all end up in some random boys bodies! Except for Saaya, it is....”

“Well, I can't imagine Saaya switched body with boys...,” Hana-inside-Haru scratched her cheek..., err...it’s technically Haru's cheek. But let's make this convenient by using the pronouns for the ones who were actually residing the bodies. “That boy would be the most gentle and graceful boy in the world.”

“N-no, that's not true...! You're just exaggerating it, Hana!”

“Wow, that surely isn’t Eri at all, really,” Astra-inside-Emiru quipped.

“Say that again, and I’ll give you my Explosive Punch!!” Eri-inside-Saaya clutched her fist in front of Astra. But Astra-inside-Emiru put his hands behind his head, nonchalantly whistling.

Emiru stared at her switching partner in admirance.

“I was never able to whistle before...! How can you do that?” she shifted closer to Astra.

“Huh? Well..., you just need to place your tounge and lips like this, and then...”

 “L-like...thes?” Emiru-inside-Astra tried to imitate.

“Rather than that!” Homare's deep voice butted in. “I honestly can't be chilling around right now. There are tons of important things I have to do! You all brought me here, so you get to put me back to my body right now no matter what!”

Homare-inside-Rei sighed. “We’re facing the same problem. It's not just you who’s obligated to get their lives back.”

“She’s right, _ya_!” Harry-inside-Hugtan agreed. “I'm also not inside my body, ya’ see? In fact, I’m the most troubled here as I have to live as a baby!”

“Ah, so that’s why this baby can talk!” Eri bumped the base of her fist onto her palm.

“He talks like your AppliYama friend from America,” Rei muttered to Eri.

“You mean, Elena-chan?”

“Yeah. It somehow irritates me.”

“So, where's your real body?” Astra asked.

“In my bedroom upstairs, sleepin’. He’s a baby now. What d’ya expect?”

“I also brought your unconscious friend there,” Ruru added. “By the way, my name is Ruru. The baby here is Hugtan, but the one who is currently inside his body is named Harry.”

“But...you sure was strong, Ruru-san,” Haru-inside-Hana pointed out. “You carried Yuujin easily like it was nothing. Do you do weightlifting?”

“No, I just—“

“AAAHHHH!” Hana-inside-Haru cut Ruru off, and dragged her away.

“Ruru! Just like Precure-stuff, you being an android is our top secret! You can’t just spit it out to strangers!” whispered Hana.

Realizing her mistake, Ruru earnestly nodded. “Understood.”

“Y-you can say that...! Ohhohohoho...!” Emiru-inside-Astra laughed stiffly to answer Haru's question.

Astra uncomfortably stared at laughing Emiru. “I'm...not really feeling to find myself laughing like that.... _Chou norenee_ ~”

 

\--

 

Yuujin found himself sitting on a cute, yet unfamiliar bed. He also noticed a stranger young man sleeping right beside him.

He tried to get up, but the man stopped him by hugging his waist.

“Hagyu...,” the man mumbled in his dream.

“....?”

Soon, Yuujin remembered. For some reason, his best friend, Haru had forgotten about him. The shock of being forgotten had turned out to be strong enough to make his CPU crash. Fortunately, YJ14 had been equipped with super advanced recovery program. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to recover his temporal memory about Haru not recognizing him.

“No, that's not right...,” Yuujin murmured to himself. “That was no Haru. Something must be wrong! I have to get out from here!”

Yuujin saw the window left open. He examined it after carefully freeing himself from the young man's hug.

He was on the second floor, of what seemed to be a cute, solitary little wooden house. Nothing seemed to be suspicious. But the fact that he couldn't find Haru in this unfamiliar room, was enough to make him feel cautious.

_If only Offmon and the others were here..._

Suddenly, he heard a somewhat like shimmering sound, followed by another sound of stuffs being dropped down, just behind him. He turned around and found Gatchmon, Dokamon, Musimon, Hackmon, and Offmon overlaping with eachother. Offmon was on the upmost. They're groaning for a second before realizing that Yuujin was also there.

“Yuujin!” Offmon threw himself into his buddy’s arms. “I was so scared when you and the others got sucked into that weird portal, _ofu_! Are you alright, _ofu_?”

“Wait! Offmon!”

Yuujin got a glimpse of that sleeping young man stirring to be awake.

But instead of angry grumble, the next thing coming was the man’s little sobbing before he broke into loud cries.

Yes. That adult man who’s much bigger than Yuujin was crying like a baby.

“HAGGYUUUUUUU!!!!”

“W-what’s that!? Appmon?!” Gatchmon wailed in panic.

“You're the one with the power of searching information. You should know better than us,” reminded Hackmon.

“He looks human to me~” Musimon shrugged.

“We must stop his crying, _wasu_!” Dokamon jumped onto the bed, and made a funny face for the baby.

“HAGGYUUUUUUU!!!!”

 “W-why?!”Dokamon shocked.

“You can't calm a baby with scary face like that!!” barked Gatchmon.

“But I thought it was cute...,” Dokamon felt hurt. “What should I do, _Aniki_?”

Gatchmon faced the baby. “Hey, aren't you an adult?! Stop crying! You're even more embarrassing than Haru!”

Obviously, the scolding only made matters worse.

“HAGGYUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!”

The man acted like a baby, but he still had the power of an adult. He easily threw away both Gatchmon and Dokamon from his bed, using just one arm.

“What a monstrous power!” Gatchmon gritted.

The man got up on his knees, but lost his balance when he reached the bed’s edge.

“Watch out!”

Yuujin couldn’t support the man and Offmon all by his own, so he had to seat the man on the bed’s edge. The man was still crying hard, even though Yuujin had tried to comfort him.

“Oi, Yuujin...,” Gatchmon cautiously came nearer. “Who’s this guy anyway? If you’re here, then where’s Haru?”

“And Eri-chan and the others...?”

Yuujin helplessly smiled, “About that, though—“

The bedroom’s door abruptly opened with a bang.

“Hugtan!!” exclaimed ‘Haru', rushing to the big baby.

“Haru!” Gatchmon beamed at the appearance of his buddy. “You’re alright!”

‘Haru’ didn't even look at Yuujin or Gatchmon. ‘He’ straight off took over the big baby, trying to calm him down.

‘Eri' and the others followed ‘Haru’ entering the room right after the ‘boy'. While they did notice the Appmon being there, they didn’t seem to be familiar with Dokamon, Musimon or Hackmon.

“W-What are these things?” ‘Rei’’s react bewildered Hackmon.

“They...are rather cute...,” ‘Astra’ approved Musimon coming at him. “I wonder if they are Mr. Mouse's friends?”

“Eri-chan...,” sobbed Dokamon. “It’s Dokamon, _de_ _wasu_....”

“Oh..., you poor thing,” ‘Eri’ scooped Dokamon and hugged him dearly. “It’s okay, you're safe now.”

But the big baby sitting between ‘Haru’ and Yuujin was still crying.

“Ruru...,” whined ‘Haru’ to a tall girl coming to them, “What should I do? She’s too big, I can't hold her to stop the crying!”

“Please leave it to me.”

The violet-haired tall girl picked up the man as if it was nothing.

“Haru...?” Yuujin asked carefully, after the baby was taken care of. “You know that girl and that crying man?”

“Eh...?” ‘Haru' looked to Yuujin and realized something. “Ohh! You’re Haru-kun's friend! Well, the truth is—”

Another girl ran towards them, cutting the space between Yuujin and ‘Haru', as well as the latter's explanation. She's much smaller than the first girl and had wavy, magenta hair.

“Wait! Yuujin! It's not like what you’re thinking! It’s misunderstanding!”

“Misunderstanding?” Yuujin looked at the foreign girl strangely knowing his name.

“I’m the real Haru! Look!” The ‘girl’ flashed the name plate in front of ‘her’..., or rather, his chest. It indeed had letters **‘HARU'** written on it.

“We all got switched...,” confessed the other ‘Haru', who had name plate marked with letters **‘HANA’**. “The adult man crying over there is actually a baby girl. She has her body swapped with his....”

“I...see...,” Yuujin more or less got a grasp of the situation. ‘Eri and the others' were indeed wearing the similar name plates. Yet no one had their own names on it.

“But..., where are the real Eri and the others, then?”

Gatchmon's curiosity was answered by another group of ‘girls’ coming into the room.

A little girl in auburn twintails brightly offered her palms in front of Musimon. Asking for a high-five.

An older girl with long blue hair and small bun on its right side, took over Dokamon from ‘Eri’, deeply apologizing for the bother Dokamon might have caused.

Another tall girl with short blonde hair approached Hackmon, flashing a name plate which read **‘REI’**.

“I see...,” muttered Hackmon.

It took some times for the Appmon to understand which one was their real buddy.

"So, Eri-chan is now blue-haired, _wasu_?" Dokamon's eyes beamed happily. "Eri-chan is now the same color with me, _de wasu_!"

"Don't worry! It's just for today! We'll find the way to get ourselves back to normal!" answered Eri, holding up her fist in a determined fashion.

"...Astra?" Musimon blinked. "As a girl...?"

"Are you feeling it? Not feeling it?" teased Astra.

"Of course I'm feeling it!" Musimon clapped his hand-like ears to Astra's open palms.

"Yeah, right. There's no way I can totally feel this," Gatchmon winced at his buddy. "Haru, what's with those bangs?"

"Bangs...?" Haru had not seen mirror once after getting switched. So he confusedly put hand on what was currently his forehead. "What's wrong with the bangs?"

Hana apologized in alarm, "I-I'm sorry if my bangs make you look weird!"

"But Yuujin is still Yuujin..., right, _ofu_?" Offmon asked worriedly. 

"Well, I guess I am...," Yuujin shifted his gaze at the violet girl holding the big baby. "Now I just remember, that she's the one saving me from hitting the ground when we just arrived. I have to thank her again properly later."

“This is...an emergency,” the violet girl said in rather rattled tone.

Yuujin, getting a feeling that the girl needed help, came closer.

"What's wrong?"

She stared at the boy, before telling everyone in the room with somewhat between stoic and troubled expression. The still-sobbing 'man' was on her arms.

“Hugtan peed in the pants...”


	4. Diapers for Harry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both teams are eager to find the way to get themselves back to normal. But how about Hugtan?

“This is...an emergency,” Ruru said in rather rattled tone.

"What's wrong?"

She stared at Yuujin, before telling everyone in the room with somewhat between stoic and troubled expression.

“Hugtan peed in the pants...”

 

\--

 

Which should be a very simple problem since Hana and friends were already trained in changing her diapers. Even little Emiru could manage that.

However, Hugtan being in Harry’s adult man body, was something that the girls never imagined to handle.

“To change babies' diapers, we must take off their pants," Ruru mentioned. "Am I right?”

Saaya-inside-Eri and her friends who were still being ‘boys’, turned utterly pale.

“Even worse..., since Harry isn’t wearing diaper, it means we have to wash his underwear and pants as well...,” Homare-inside-Rei murmured.

“I am sorry, but no Hugtan's diaper could fit his size,” responded Ruru.

“As much as I love Hugtan and Mr. Mouse, I just cannot afford to do this!” Emiru-inside-Astra whimpered.

“You can't change diapers while you’re being blindfolded..., right?” implied Saaya-inside-Eri.

“Well, we just have to do it...normally then...,” Hana gulped. “We can't let Hugtan-inside-Harry keep crying like this, after all.”

“Excuse us..., is there something that we can do...?”

Hana and friends turned their heads. A couple of concerned faces lurked from behind the doorframe.  

 

\--

 

The AppliDrivers and their Appmon had been told to stay away from the room. But they couldn't help to be curious. Haru-inside-Hana and Yuujin came back, together with their Appmon.

The Precure exchanged glances. Hana revealed their problem after receiving nods from her friends.

“I see...,” Haru pondered. “I want to help, but..., I've never changed any diapers before.... Have you, Yuujin?”

“No.... But I think I have to manage. I mean, I’m the only one who can do that for now, aren't I?”

Saaya clapped her hands. “Why, indeed! Why didn't we think of this before? Any boys would have no problem seeing Harry naked.”

Yuujin nodded, “Besides..., even if Haru and the others help me, I guess you girls don't want to handle Harry-san in that situation, even though he's actually a baby girl, and Haru and the others are the ones residing your bodies at this moment.”

“You... you do have a point...,” Homare agreed.

“B-but!” Emiru didn’t seem to like the idea . “We can not let our guest do this. Right, Hana-senpai?”

Unfortunately, Hana didn’t hear her junior. She dashed towards Yuujin and warped his hands inside hers.

“Thank you, thank you!! You’re really a life saver!! Err...what was your name again?”

Yuujin let out a small laugh for it appeared as if his best friend was asking his name.

“You can call me Yuujin.”

“Yuujin-kun, then!”

They left Yuujin and Hugtan after Gatchmon read his search result for the boy about how to handle baby's pee. Hana and the others also added important things Yuujin needed to take notice.  Like, instead of new pants, he should use adult diapers for ‘Harry’.

Ruru was sent to the nearest drug store to buy the diapers, while Yuujin was cleaning ‘Harry'’s body. Offmon chose to help his busy buddy.

 

\--

 

“It's okay. Yuujin has some experience at handling baby. He's been taking care of Offmon all this time, after all,” reassured Haru, as he and the others went downstairs.

“Offmon...is the little guy wearing big hat and jacket?” asked Hana.

“Yes, he is.”

"He's so timid and small, and yet he still wants to help his friends," Saaya noted admiringly.

"Not only adorbs, but he's also a good boy, isn't he?" Homare-inside-Rei put her hand on her cheek dreamily. "Just like Hugtan."

"Here we go again...," Gatchmon huffed.

“Breaking news, Hana!” high pitched baby voice welcomed them as they reached the first floor.  It was Harry-Inside-Hugtan who’s being held by Eri-Inside-Saaya.

“Haru! Rei has finally found the cause of the switch!” reported Eri.

“Really? What is it?”

“It’s Mirrormon's doing!”

“Mirrormon?” repeated Gatchmon. He set down his magnifying glass to search it up. “Mirrormon. The mirror app Appmon. But...this guy's ability is just to create reflection or to reflect his enemy's attacks. It should have nothing to do with body switching...”

“I hacked your laptop...," started Rei, referring to Saaya's laptop in front of him. “...and got a record about Mirrormon breaking his mirror when he's around this shop’s AR Field. He found another mirror that looked exactly like his, just inside this shop. So he snatched it to replace his broken one.”

"What is this ‘AR Field'...?" asked Hana.

"I guess...AR means Augmented Reality?” Saaya reckoned.

“Augmented...?” Hana got more confused.

“Easily put, AR Field is another world which is based on our real world,” said Haru.

“It's like combining our reality with false reality generated by computer. For example, this store may be a clothing store. But inside the AR Field, this store may turn into an antique shop,” completed Rei.

“It sounds exciting! I want to see it!” exclaimed Emiru.

“AR Field isn’t a fun realm,” Hackmon's tone was flat. “It’s a border between your real world and Net Ocean, presented as a ruined real world. Some monsters from Deep Web would rip you apart if you’re not guarded.”

“Besides, you can only access AR Field by using AppliDrive..., which is...inside my pocket pants you're wearing now,” said Haru to Hana, shyly.

“Ooh, “ Hana groped the pocket. “Is this it?”

“Yes,” nodded Haru. “ Can I have it back?”

Hana handed the AppliDrive, which size was that of a smartphone, but much thicker and fancier.

Its upper part was covered by something like jagged ring which one half was colored red, and the other half was yellow. Its lower part was mostly white. Green-colored thin frame ran along its tips. Its most bottom part provided an intriguing small space. Anything with a size of a thumb tip could match well in it.

Haru’s friends also asked for their AppliDrives from their switching partners. Their designs were almost the same, except for the colors. Eri’s had blue shade on its ring, instead of red like Haru owned.  Astra's was yellow, and Rei's was black.

Hana began to think that she and the others needed to retrieve their PreHeart too. But, mentioning about their transformation device would tell Haru and friends that they were Precure.

At least, they had already known the way back to normal. She just hoped this wouldn't take too long.

“So, every place in this world has their own AR Field?” Hana guessed.

“Something like that,” Haru lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “In the AR-Field, our world’s ocean become the already mentioned Net Ocean, the place where the Internet presented as its own world. Gatchmon and the others came from that world.”

Homare-inside-Rei crossed her arms. “I’ve been wondering all this time..., who are you all, exactly?” She pointed at Gatchmon. “From what I’ve seen, he looks things up like search engine....”

“I _am_ search engine, though...” revealed Gatchmon.

“To be exact, his name is Gatchmon. He is my Appmon buddy,” Haru introduced. "And as their human buddies, we’re called their AppliDrivers."

“... Appmon?”

“It’s Applimonsters. Monsters that are based on the apps of our smartphones.”

“They are? How neat!” praised Saaya. “If Gatchmon-kun is based on search engine, how about the others?”

“My buddy is this Doka-chan,” answered Eri. “He's a fighting game app Appmon.”

“My..., so you’re a fighting game? That's impressive!” Saaya-inside-Eri patted Dokamons's head. Her gentle touch consoled the lonely Dokamon. The real Eri was too busy holding ‘Hugtan’.

“And this guy is...?” Homare referred to Hackmon.

“Hacking app Appmon. Hackmon,” Rei replied shortly.

“Hacking...? Isn't that supposed to be illegal?”

“Can you still say that after I tell you I found the way to make us back to normal through hacking?” tested Rei.

“Musimon and I are the super _nori-nori_ exciting buddies!” Astra-inside-Emiru, as well as Musimon, striked their trademark pose. Musimon seemed to have no problem synchronizing with Astra's girl form.

“I’m music player app Appmon, _da YO_!” Musimon winked.

Emiru was all fascinated. “What a coincidence! I love music and play some guitar, too!”

“Emiru usually plays guitar together with Ruru, and they're both so good!” announced Hana proudly.

“So you're a duo? That’s so cool! You should become the guest stars for my video next time!” urged Astra.

“Video...?”

“If we feel the rhythm, we will directly send it to my playlist and loop it all day!” Musimon chimed in.

"Hey, I have an idea! How about you playing guitar as Astra to make it as if I'm suddenly able to play guitar? That must have a nice rhythm to feel!"

"No! You won't feel anything because it's called cheating, Tora!" scolded Eri.

"I know, I know! I'm just kidding around! Don't take it seriously!"

“Astra-kun is a famous AppTuber,” Haru felt a need to explain. “He makes video of anything that makes him feel the rhythm.”

“But, I don’t think the experience of switching bodies is a good material for public video,” Homare opined.

“I agree,” Rei responded.

Two serious faces looked at each other, before gazing away, when they realized they shouldn’t be in that good terms.

Besides, finding Mirrormon and getting themselves back to their bodies were the top priority right now.

“I don't have any idea about the mirror that Mirrormon guy has stolen, though,” said Harry regretfully. "But it must be a very dangerous object if not used for good."

“Then again, how does that mirror have anything to do with our bodies switched?” Eri winced.

“According to the hints I've found...,” Gatchmon started. “...that mirror is this shop’s ancient artifact that keeps you able to see yourself freely even when you're in your own body. But once the mirror's gone, it believed that you have to be in others' shoes to see yourself. It took the chance when our heads are collided, to swap us and make us able to see ourselves even without it.”

“So, the mirror has its own will?” concluded Saaya. “To make everyone no longer dependent on its reflection?”

“That’s kinda random...,” muttered Homare.

“Is there anything we can do to undo the switch?” asked Haru.

“Then we just have to take back the mirror from Mirrormon, right?” shrugged Astra.

“But what if he refuses?” Emiru hesitated.

“We will make him a new mirror,” said Gatchmon. “The mirror he used to have needs special material from the AR Field in this town. Isn't here Hagukumi Town?”

“Yes!” answered Hana, surprised. “How do you know?”

“Heh,” Gatchmon puffed out his chest with pride. “There’s nothing that my search can't find!”

“So, where is that special material exactly?” prompted Eri.

“It’s scattered around, though....” Gatchmon dictated some places.

"So, we just need to go there, get the materials, and make the new mirror for Mirrormon, am I right?" stressed Astra.

"You make it sound so easy," Emiru warned. "We never know what danger would fall upon us later."

“Hey, since we're more familiar with this town, how about we become your guides to find the places?" offered Hana.

"But, we can't let you go into the AR Field," Haru shook his head. "That's too dangerous."

"It's alright, if we just go to the mentioned place in the real world, and then enter its AR Field once we reach it," suggested Rei. "It's actually much safer that way."

"We should hurry," added Hackmon. "Or else, you all might stay like this forever."

“I've sent a special detector program to your Seven Code Bands,” Rei revealed to his friends. “It should react to the materials’ position as long as you're close enough to them.”

He shifted to Homare and asked for his Seven Code Band, which was turned out to be one of the matching blue watches that the AppliDrivers were all wearing. Hana and others followed her suit and returned the watches to their original owners.

An idea flashed into Astra’s mind when he's looking at his friends and their switching partners standing face-to-face.

“I know!”

Astra pulled out Emiru’s twintails, letting auburn hair free. He then retrieved his own hat back from Emiru.

Emiru protested, “Hey..., what are you trying to—“

Astra didn’t answer. He was putting back Emiru’s hair into a ponytail through the back of his hat.

Pulling out a smartphone, he and Musimon stroke poses and took pictures of themselves.

“Now everyone know that I’m the real Astra without this name plate, right?”

“You’re super cute, Astra!” Musimon exclaimed.

“Ah! That’s my phone!” declared Emiru. “Please give it back!”

Instead of her phone, her red ribbons were given back by Astra.

“You too! Put these to my hair and let the others know that you’re the real Emiru!” 

“Ehh?”

Emiru hesitantly undid Astra’s short, low ponytail.

“But we are going to go outside. Don’t you feel embarrassed putting your hair in girly twintails like this...? You are a famous AppTuber, aren’t you? Your fans may recognize you out there!”

“Well, if anyone asks, just tell them that Astra is currently trying new challenge: To Look Super Cute In Twintails!” Astra settled. “Then again, don’t you think it’s more embarrassing to keep bringing these name plates around?”

“What are they even doing?” Rei grumbled. “Even after Hackmon told them to hurry up....”

It turned out that not only Astra-Emiru pair, but Haru-Hana and Eri-Saaya pairs were also doing the similar things.

Hana gave Haru back his goggles.

Eri and Saaya ‘switched’ their hair styles. Saaya offered Eri to keep her hair in her trademark twintails. Eri also helped Saaya to do the little bun she always had on the side of her hair.

“Eri-chan!” Dokamon’s eyes sparkled in admiration. “That hairstyle really suits you, _wasu_!”

Saaya sweetly smiled, “Thank you, Dokamon-kun!”

“The real Karan Eri-sama is here, you know!” Eri spun Dokamon’s head to face her.

“T-this Eri-chan is also cute, _wasu_...!”

Rei and Homare took off their nameplates, yet felt no need to exchange anything.

Even though Hackmon actually thought Rei's figure would look great in Homare’s yellow off-shoulder top.

 

 

\--

 

Ruru stepped into the store, right when Hana and the others were ready to go.

“Ruru! Good timing!” welcomed Hana.

“Are you going to go somewhere?” asked Ruru.

“Yes. Thanks to Haru-kun and the others, we found a hint to get us back to normal.”

 Saaya explained briefly.

“So, I suppose, I will do the house-sitting,” said Ruru, receiving Harry-inside-Hugtan from Hana.

“Yuujin and Offmon stay too,” informed Haru.

“They’re still upstairs in the bedroom with Hugtan,” added Homare. “I mean, real Hugtan....”

“We can count on you, right, Ruru?” begged Emiru.

“Please leave it to me,” Ruru stared at them for a while. It seemed that she wanted to say something, but Hana and the others had already walked out.

“Well then, let’s go!” they exclaimed before seperating ways.

Haru, Hana, Astra, and Emiru chose the path to the south. While Eri, Saaya, Rei, and Homare walked to the north.

 _I wonder if they don’t like the name plates I made..._ , thought Ruru.


	5. Team Heroes - Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The search for material pieces for Mirrormon's mirror begins.  
>   
> 

“So, it is just the five of us, then,” Ruru went upstairs, holding Harry with her right arm and a pack of adult diapers with her left arm.

“I hope that Yuujin-boy is doing his tasks right...,” sighed Harry. “I’m worried about my body.”

“We will soon find out,” said Ruru.

Yuujin turned as he heard the door open.

“Oh, you're back!” He put down the little basket he was holding. Harry’s pants and underwear seemed to be in there.

“Yes. I brought the diapers,” Ruru handed the stuff. “Thank you for taking care of Hugtan.”

“Hey! We don’t even know yet, whether he’s doing it right or not!”

Yuujin blinked at the talking baby, but then chuckled.

“Well, I’ve cleaned her and warped the lower body with towel and blanket, like Hana-san and the others suggested...,” Yuujin shifted to let them see Hugtan-inside-Harry freely. “Still, I wonder if I’m doing this right...”

The big baby was laughing on the bed. Her size didn’t even bother Offmon. They played together happily, just like two toddlers understanding each other.

“She seems to be doing fine,” said Ruru.

“Hm..., I guess you’re right, though...,” Harry admitted.

“Offmon usually doesn’t like strangers,” Yuujin followed behind them. “But he got along with Hugtan quickly.”

“So his name is Offmon...,” murmured Ruru.

“Well, Hugtan is a nice kid, after all,” Harry looked proud. But then his expression turned serious. “Now, you have to put the diaper on her. I don’t want either me or her to catch cold.”

Yuujin nodded. That was he wanted to fulfill anyway.

“Ruru, ya can get out now,” Harry turned to Ruru. “I know yer an android, but I still see ya as a girl. I don’t want any girl to see my handsome body naked.”

Yuujin, of course, heard those words. Harry’s Hugtan voice was high-pitched, with no sense of secrecy at all.

 “Android...?” repeated Yuujin, completely distracted from what he’s supposedly doing. From his standing place, he could see Ruru tightening her lips. Silent anger aura enveloped her body.

**_“Harry....”_ **

 

 

 

"Is it okay to put goggles on even though you’re not swimming?” asked Hana, staring at her own self walking with the goggles on head.

Haru-inside-Hana nervously laughed. “Well, that’s....”

“Goggles are the symbol of a hero, you know!” Gatchmon voiced in his chip form.

Normally, other people besides the AppliDrivers couldn’t see or hear him in that form. Since Hana was in Haru’s body, both she and Haru were able to interact with the Appmon even in his transparent, holographic miniature state, floating between the two teenagers.

"They are?"

“Err...let’s say they're just one of them,” Haru corrected. “Of course, you can choose your own heroic symbol, Hana-san! Whatever it is!”

Hana thought for a while, before saying, “I wonder if I can make my bangs as my symbol....”

“Your...bangs....?”

“You choose... a rather weird symbol, huh...?” noted Gatchmon.

“The thing is..., when I just moved school, I promised myself to become more mature and ladylike by getting rid of my long bangs. But I messed up when I tried to cut it by myself. That's why it ended up being like that,” Hana reminisced it sheepishly.

“But you decided to cut it all by yourself, right? It makes your bangs have a deep meaning. Compared to me who...wear this goggles just to imitate the hero from the video game I played when I was little....”

“I don't think it's a problem, Haru-kun. It’s okay as long as you like it. I'll...also try to like this messed up bangs of mine a little more!”

Both stared at each other, before exchanging laughs.

“More importantly, I’m glad you’re with us, Hana-san,” Haru-inside-Hana said. “You know the shortest route to L'Avenir Academy, which turns out to be both your school and the material piece's whereabouts."

Hana blushed while rubbing the back of her head.

“Ehehe..., actually it’s only because I have tendency to wake up late for school, so I need this route in case I don't have much time in the morning..."

 

 

It was Sunday and L'Avenir Academy was almost empty, except for some teachers in duty, and some students cleaning their club rooms or doing club activities.

“So, where should we search first?” asked Haru. “Gatchmon said to go to the library.... Is it open on Sunday?”

“I don’t know, but...if it turns out to be closed—“

“Ah, it's okay, Hana-san,” Haru chimed in quickly. “We don't have to be exactly in the library. I still can access the AR Field from the outside. Gatchmon and I will go in from that point, and take the material piece.”

“I see...,” Hana breathed in relief. “If that's the case....”

The library was open. Literature Club was using the room to hold their monthly discussion. Haru and Hana quietly entered.

But the librarian saw them and scolded  that the students must wear their uniform even though on Sundays, if they wanted to be at school. Hana-inside-Haru quickly made a reason, that they were just there to take their notebooks left in the library.

Once the pesky librarian was away, Haru quickly got into a hidden spot and took out his AppliDrive. At Haru’s request, Hana was guarding their surroundings, to make sure that no one saw Haru entering the AR Field.

Haru—still inside Hana's body, and Gatchmon arrived at the library's AR Field. It was either an abandoned book store or a deserted library. The bookcases were messy. The floor was cluttered with books and ripped pages here and there. No one seemed to be in sight. Haru took out his Seven Code Band and walked according to its guide.

“Isn't that it?” Gatchmon pointed at something glittering on the top of one of the bookcases.

“It’s rather hard to tell from that height....”

Gatchmon floated up in order to have a better sight of it.

However, a sudden long shot coming from behind, blasted Gatchmon’s chip away.

Astonished, Haru turned to find his buddy’s attacker. “Who’s that!?”

“Fuh,” the culprit came out from the shade. “Long time no see.”

“You are...Scorpmon!” Gatchmon exclaimed.

“But, didn't we beat his ghost, back at Appmon Cemetery?” said the bewildered Haru.

Scorpmon shook one of his fingers in front of his face. “Appmon is basically immortal, you know? As long as their Apps are still used by human, that is.”

“Ugh..., he's right, though...,” gritted Gatchmon.

The surveillance app Appmon soon took notice of the unfamiliar human Gatchmon was together with.

“Hm? Who’s this little girl? An AppliDriver? I’ve never seen you before....”

Gatchmon decided not to pay heed to Scorpmon’s curiosity.

“We don’t have time for this! Haru! Let's kick his butt with Ultimate Grade!”

“Right!”

Haru prepared his AppliDrive. Gatchmon went inside Haru’s Seven Code Band to turn himself into an Ultimate Grade Chip.

“APPMON CHIP! READY!” Haru-inside-Hana shouted.

After the Appmon Chip was placed under the jagged ring on the upper side of his AppliDrive, he put his thumb inside the hollow space of its lowest part.

“INSERTION: ME!”

Strangely, nothing happened.

So Haru tried again. “INSERTION: ME!”

Still nothing appeared.

“Why...?”

Scorpmon clucked. “Of course it doesn't react, little girl. You are not his buddy. Only an Applidriver can operate an AppliDrive.”

Haru gasped at the Appmon's words.

_Of course! I'm using Hana-san's body, the AppliDriver may not recognize my voice or my finger print._

“I don't care who you are, if you are going to take my lucky charm away, I won't let you go easily.”

Scorpmon aimed his sniper riffle at Haru who fortunately managed to escape his shot at the right time.

Sheltering himself behind a tall bookcase, Haru weighed whether he should get Hana involved or not.

“You're wrong if you think you've seen the last of me,” Scorpmon’s voice was coming nearer.

_This is bad! I can’t even AppliArise Gatchmon to defend myself in this form ...._

By thinking that way, Haru decided to open a portal to the real world. He managed to across it, just as Scorpmon reached his hiding place.

“.... Running away, huh...?”

 

 

 

“Oh, Haru-kun!” greeted Hana. “Welcome back! You got the material?”

Haru was silent for a while, as if something was bothering his mind. But he eventually uttered his need for her help.

“Hana-san! Please, lend me your strength!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To note for the ones curious:  
> Team Heroes: Nono Hana, Shinkai Haru, Gatchmon  
> Team Meganekko (glasses girls): Yakushiji Saaya, Karan Eri, Dokamon  
> Team Rhythm: Aisaki Emiru, Asuka Torajirou, Musimon  
> Team High Jump: Kagayaki homare, Katsura Rei, Hackmon  
> Team Androids: Ruru Amour (RUR-9500), Oozora Yuujin (YJ-14), Offmon


	6. Team Heroes - Part 2

 

“Hana-san! Please, lend me your strength!”

Hana's heart skipped. “My... strength?”

_Don’t tell me, he's already known that I’m Cure Yell!?_

“I can't use my AppliDrive in your form!”

Haru explained his situation furthermore.  

“Ah..., I see...,” Hana exhaled in relief. “But then, that means....”

“Only you can be Gatchmon's buddy right now, Hana-san!”

“N-no way...! How can I...?”

Haru could feel Hana's confusion. He quickly settled for alternative way.

“You don't have to enter the AR Field,” Haru reassured. “You can AppliArise Gatchmon's ultimate form at some secluded place..., like behind the school. And then Gatchmon and I will go in to the AR Field before anyone sees us. Coming back to the library and defeating Scorpmon!”

Hana still doubted, but she nodded anyway. “I understand....”

 

\--

 

“Why do you really not want Gatchmon and the AR Field to be seen?” asked Hana on their way running to the school backyard. “Even though AR Field is really that dangerous, the AppliDrivers and their Appmon always defeat any threats and save everyone, right?"

Haru weakly laughed. _She's not wrong, but she's not thoroughly right either.._

"It's true but...we're still far to defeating the real threat lurking from the depth of net ocean," Haru muttered the last part vaguely.

"So you are really a fighter!" beamed Hana. "Uhm..., what was the 'real threat' about?"

Haru shook his head. "Don't worry. I was talking to myself. Anyway, what makes you think of that? Do we really look that professional?”

"You and your friends seem to be used to face even the most peculiar matters like these switching bodies.”

"Just by that?"

“You've been fighting all this time for everyone to live peacefully in the real world, haven't you?” insisted Hana. “At least, everyone should know there are efforts you’ve been doing for them, don't you think so?”

“I understand your feeling, Hana-san. But knowing something that you don’t need to know can effectively rattle your peaceful life in seconds...,” Haru tilted his head down, avoiding eye contact. “I don't want it to happen to anyone beside us, the AppliDrivers.”

At the sight of the gentle boy, Hana’s eyes glazed with tears.

"Haru-kun...."

The girl remembered when she just had became Precure. She insisted to Harry that she wanted everyone to know she's the Cure Yell everyone had been talking about. But Harry convinced her that being concealed and mysterious was one of hero’s qualities. Hana eventually accepted the idea, as herself also was striving to be a cool and dependable elder sister figure.

_Compared to me, Haku-kun is much more hero-like. I hide my identity as Precure because I want to be a cool and mysterious hero, but Haru-kun...he hides his secret to protect everyone!_

“Hana-san? What’s wrong?” Haru stopped running when he realized that Hana didn’t run along side him anymore. She was standing still a few steps behind him.

“I...,” Hana inhaled. “I will follow you to the AR Field, Haru-kun!”

 

\--

 

Just like Hackmon had said, AR Field really gave that creepy vibe, rather than wonderland image like how any ‘other worlds' should be. Especially since it mirrored the real world. Except that it was inhabited, miscolored, and even corrupted here and there by somewhat pixelated purple screen on some surfaces.

At first, Hana thought it was her eyes that were getting weird.

“You can go back if you're scared.”

“I-I’m not scared!” snapped Hana. She looked up to see Globemon—Gatchmon's ultimate form—towering by her side. That crimson figure shone gallantly. Contrasting the cheeky little white critter he had been, some times before.

"Are you sure about this, Hana-san?"

Hana nodded at Haru's concerned face. "I may not be very useful, but I'm also a hero as well. I want to take part in saving everyone, by fighting by your side!"

“Let’s go back to the library!” Globemon led the way. “Who knows Scorpmon has already moved the material piece we need.”

A shot rang out, followed by destroyed bodies, had Globemon not interfered between the shooter and his targets.

“Haru, Hana! Get somewhere safe! Quick!”

“Eh?! Shouldn't we go fight too?” protested Hana, while being pulled away by Haru.

“We will fight,” asserted Haru, pulling out his AppliDrive. “With this.”

Globemon cautiously gazed around. No Scorpmon was in sight. Seemed that the Appmon had already learned from their previous fight, when he was defeated easily by Globemon. At that time,  Scorpmon unpreparedly had been forced to go against Globemon face to face, even though long range shooting was actually his real specialty.

This time, Scorpmon made the fight to give him advantages. Using the bookcases as barricades, he mostly hid and just aimed when he got chances.

“Defeating Scorpmon is actually quite easy,” Haru told Hana. “His and Globemon's grades are really on different levels. The problem is, Scorpmon has already been used to this field. He repeatedly shoots at Globemon, while keeps his distance by moving around quickly. To defeat him, we must also be quick enough to locate him and stop his movement at the same time.”

“But, how...?” Hana was confused yet intrigued.

The AppliDrive emitted a screen in front of Haru. It showed the miniature of their surroundings. Blinking red dot marked Scorpmon position, and two blue spots marked Haru and Hana hiding place. Like Haru had noted, he moved pretty fast. Globemon was still enduring the shots.

“He's coming this way!” Hana shrieked under her breath.

Haru looked up. Separated by roughly fifteen meters, Scorpmon already incluced the two within his optimal range.

 _Destroy the AppliDrive. To defeat an Ultimate, there's nothing easier than this,_ Scorpmon readied to blast his weapon. 

“It’s okay, just believe in us.”

Hana felt Haru holding her hand tighter.

**_“GLANZ GAZER!”_ **

A beam of blue energy was unleashed from above, reducing Scorpmon into mere flash of light, which later was absorbed into Haru’s AppliDrive. An Appmon chip materialized inside its jagged ring and dropped onto Haru’s hand.

Hana stared at the chip in disbelief.

“So when you defeat bad Appmon, they turn into this?”

“Not just that. We can also use their power to help us for the later fights.”

Haru installed Scorpmon’s chip into his Seven Code Band.

“Good job figuring it out, Globemon!” Haru smiled at his buddy.

Globemon landed on the ground, and reverted himself back into standard grade Appmon.

“That was an easy one,” Gatchmon shrugged off the compliment. “Scorpmon was able to move and shoot fast only when he was targeting at me who was as tall as 3 meters. But when he aimed at much smaller object like an AppliDrive, he would need more time to adjust his aim. That made us our chance.”

“How did you know he would go for the AppliDrive?” Hana was still baffled.

“Like I said, Globemon and Scorpmon stand on different levels. Scorpmon knew he wouldn’t have a chance if he fought using just his own power. He would definitely target the AppliDrive, which was the very reason why Gatchmon can turn into an Ultimate Appmon,” Haru explained.

“By continuously receiving his shots—which didn’t even manage to scratch my body anyway, I recorded his movement and shooting pattern, and sent it to Haru’s AppliDrive to get analyzed,” completed Gatchmon haughtily. “Locating enemy in that current state, was even much easier task for a Global App Appmon standing on the center of the world like Globemon!”

"Then again...why didn't he target me and Haru-kun since the beginning, instead of wastefully shooting at Globemon first?"

"To distract me, of course," said Gatchmon. "By making as if he only focused on me, it would be easier for him to deploy a sneak attack on both of you."

Hana listened with wonderment and awe.

“I don’t really understand, but..., that way of fighting was really cool! _Chou iketeru_! I wish I could do strategy based fighting like that. I only know how to punch, kick, and deliver finishing move...."

Haru and Gatchmon exchanged looks, before asking in nearly unison.

"'Finishing move'...?"

Which soon made Hana realize her own sloppiness.

"I-I mean..., that's...," she stammered, looking for an excuse. "I know! If I was really a hero..., I wouldn't be able to come up with that kind of plan! Right? Right? Yes, it must be it! Ahahaha...."


	7. Team Rhythm

“Gatchmon said it was at the town park...near HugMan Home Center...," read Astra. He sometimes took a look at his Seven Code band, but nothing was detected yet.

"I know that park,” uttered Emiru. “It was my secret base when I was still doing Cure Emiru.”

“'Cure Emiru'? What's that?”

Emiru inhaled a sharp breath _. I completely forgot that it must be kept as a secret!_

“It-it was nothing...! I am just saying that I used to play there when I was a mere little girl!”

“Aren't you still a little girl, though?” teased Astra.

Emiru pouted. “You are being rude! I'm already 6th grade student in elementary school!”

“What!?”Astra nearly choked. “Did you say that you're actually just my age!?”

Emiru seemed to be offended. “How young did you think I was? You do not look that mature yourself!”

“Emiru? Is that you?” a sudden voice greeted them from behind.

“ _Onii-sama!?_ ”  Emiru turned around, half-whispering.

“Your brother?” confirmed Astra.

Emiru gave a small nod. “Masato _onii-sama_ ,” she introduced, under her breath.

Masato came closer. He was a well-groomed school-age teenager wearing glasses.

“Your hair...,” Masato stopped.

“Aah!!” Emiru interfered in alarm. “This is not—“

A small smile bloomed. “Wow, I never knew baseball cap and ponytail would go well with you, Emiru. You look great!”

“...Do I...? I, I mean..., does she?” Emiru looked at her brother and her own figure alternately.

Astra-inside-Emiru rubbed his under nose in pride.

“Is this...your friend?” asked Masato, referring to Emiru-inside-Astra. “Such cute ribbons you have on your pigtails. ”

The girl couldn't help to nod.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Em..., no! I mean—“

“He's Asuka Torajirou,” Astra answered in place of his switching partner. “You know? He's also an Apptuber under the channel name Astra! Wearing ribbons like this is actually his attempt to answer "To Look Cute in Twintails" challenge from his fans!"

“Heeh, an Apptuber huh?” Masato grinned, rubbing his chin. “You always get yourself interesting friends, don't you, Emiru?”

“Uhm..., Masato-san,” Emiru interrupted. “I am most sorry, but...We are currently in hurry right now! So... please excuse us!”

Emiru took Astra's hand, running away from her confused brother.

“That’s weird...,” Masato was still rubbing his chin. “How did he know my name?”

Some thinking later, he guessed that it was just Emiru having told her new friend.

 

\--

 

After managing to make quite distance, Emiru and Astra slowed down their running to a walking pace.

“I thought your brother was a stern guy, but he turned out to be very friendly, didn't he?” noted Astra.

“Hmm.... Honestly, he _was_ a little stern, back when he found out that I was taking interest in playing guitar. He said properly mannered girls weren’t supposed to hold uncivilized instruments like guitar.”

“What? That wasn’t a nice thing to say!”

Emiru nodded a little in acknowledgement. “But he is different now. His friend and my friends managed to change his view. He now entirely supports me carrying out my hobby.”

“...That's good to hear,” Astra breathed. “Still, I never thought we're in fact sharing similar problem.”

That confession got Emiru hooked. “What do you mean?”

“It’s not exactly the same, but.... When I decided to become a comical Apptuber, I was worried that my father wouldn't approve it as my hobby. You know, because I'm the only son of the main Asuka household and how I must act like a proper heir does—“

“Please, hold on a second...,” Emiru cut him off. “The 'Asuka' which you are talking about is....”

“Asuka family that owns the famous Asuka tea ceremony school, _da YO_!” mentioned Musimon.

"I was right! I do remember to have heard about it somewhere...," mused Emiru. "My grandfather once talked about a famous tea ceremony school and how well-mannered the young heir was. He acted like an English gentleman while keeping his heritage as a Japanese tea ceremony master." 

"Your grandfather must have met my father when he was still young," chuckled Astra.

"You are completely different from your father, though."

"Oh, shut up!"

"Anyway, what happened to your father? Did he eventually accept the idea of you being an AppTuber?"

"Yeah! As long as I don't neglect the scheduled tea ceremony lessons, that is," Astra lifted his thumb up. "Though my uncle gave me a hard time once...."

Their conversation got cut off as Haru's voice reached Astra through Seven Code Band.

_“Astra-kun? Do you hear me?”_

“Haru? What's up? You've got the material?”

_“Yes, but..., we actually faced some problem there.”_

“Problem?”

_“I’ve tried this, and found out that we can't AppliArise any Appmon in Hana-san and the others' forms. It seems the AppliDrives need either our voices or our fingerprints recognition to activate AppliArise function."_

“Does that mean...?” Astra shifted his glance at Emiru. “I have to bring her into the AR Field?”

“But that's too dangerous for Emiru-chan!” argued Musimon.

“It will be fine as long as I don’t see any need to appliarise Musimon there, right? I mean we just need to go in and take the material piece?”

“ _We were attacked by Scorpmon!”_ revealed Gatchmon through Haru’s Seven Code Band.

“Scorpmon?”

_“Yes. It’s not impossible that the other places are also guarded by Appmon.”_

Just as Haru said it; Astra, Musimon, and Emiru caught a glimpse of an Appmon in its chip form, was diving into an AR Field portal.

“It’s Sukashimon!” declared Musimon.

 _“That Fail App Appmon?”_ Gatchmon asked for confirmation.

“Yeah, there's no mistake,” replied Astra. “Rei's detecting program is also reacting at the same direction.”

“Please allow me to help you, Astra!” spoke Emiru, full of determination. “If this is the only way for us to get back to normal, I will follow you anywhere! Furthermore, if anything happen, I will protect you with my life as Cure—“

Emiru reached down for her PreHeart, before realizing that it was Astra residing her body.

“Whoa, whoa, chill down!” interrupted Astra “You make it sound as if we’re facing the last boss already. Sukashimon is just a Fail App Appmon. Musimon has defeated him once. No biggie!”

“But still!” Emiru insisted.

_I really want Astra to know I am useful for him. But why at the time like this, I can't use my PreHeart?!_

“You heard the story, right? Here is my AppliDrive,” said Astra. Musimon went into Astra’s Seven Code Band, and turned into a chip of Ultimate Grade Appmon, Entermon. “Once we’re in, you just need to do what I'm gonna tell you! Got it?”

Emiru nodded, though hesitantly. Hands in hands, they both leapt into AR-Field portal.

 

\--

 

“I think we have to notify Saaya’s and Homare’s teams too,” Hana suggested.

Haru agreed. First, he contacted Rei.

“Homare-san and Saaya-san seems to be okay..., but do you think Emiru-chan and Astra-kun will make it?”  Haru wondered, while waiting for his call to get through.

“Emiru may be young. But her fighting spirit is one of the best!” said Hana confidently. “She, together with us, has faced many kinds of turmoils all this time. Besides, she has Astra-kun and Musimon-kun too. We just have to believe in them!”

 _"What?" Rei_  answered the call.

As expected from the young hacker, he didn’t sound surprised at all.

 _“Yeah, I knew this somehow would happen,”_ said Rei. “ _No problem. We can handle this.”_

They moved to Saaya and Eri.

 _“Me... as AppliDriver?”_ Saaya's voice wavered.

 _“Don't worry, Saaya-chan!”_ supported Eri. _“I will guide you on how to bring out Doka-chan’s power! Anything hindering our way will get extra double Explosive Punches!”_

 

 


	8. Team Meganekko - Part 1

 

"That was fast," commented Homare-inside-Rei as she watched her switching partner emerge from the AR-Field portal.

"I told you, didn't I? This wouldn't take long," Rei nonchalantly replied. "Haru and the others are being too cautious. Not all material pieces have their presence guarded."

"And you're lucky that you were assigned to the unguarded piece," Homare didn't want to lose at being sassy.

"That's not how it was going," Rei gestured Hackmon to go back to his chip form, as many people began to pass around the mouth of the narrow alley they were in. "I have calculated exactly which guard has probably left his job and is sulking at some cemetary."

"Shinkai Haru and Torajirou may be fighting super grade Appmon right now. Karan Eri however, may find herself encountering the higher grade," revealed Hackmon.

Homare widened her eyes. "What? So you're saying you let your friends face dangers, while you're the only one having easy time yourself!?"

"They are strong. I at least know that thoroughly," said Rei flatly.

He gestured Homare to follow him and Hackmon, exiting the alley.

Though Homare still could not find any good in being together with Rei, she knew that nothing would help by being stubborn and staying there.

"Hold on! Aren't we supposed to go back to the store?" She soon protested as she realized Rei taking the opposite way back home.

"No," Rei answered. "There's someone we need to meet to complete the mirror."

"Design App Appmon. Craftmon," mentioned Hackmon beside Rei.

 

-

 

Eri-inside-Saaya snorted. Behind her, Saaya-inside-Eri held on her shoulder, trembling with excitement.

In the middle of empty street inside the AR Field, a CG-rendered witch in red, hovered and looked down at them cheekily. She's a tall figure, and even though she's really lean on her stomach, she kept more than enough plumpness on some other parts. Her arms and cape reached out from her main body, resembling enormous sharp-nailed claws. Presenting a menacing image for those who were standing against her.

But the two girls didn't waver. Each for their own differing reasons.

“As I thought, it's you again, huh? Warudamon!" exclaimed Eri in dismay.

"Huuh? Who are you, little girl? I don't remember having met you before?"

"Eri-chan, she doesn't remember us, _wasu_!" whispered Dokamon in his chip form.

"It's more like she didn't know anything about me and Saaya-chan being switched," corrected Eri in low voice. "No surprise, though."

"But I'm sure the girl behind you came to get humiliated by me again. Am I right?"

"Huuh? What are you talking about?" snorted Eri. "I don't remember being humiliated..., I mean..., I don't even remember you have ever won against Karan Eri-sama! So shut your mouth, and give us that green stone you have on your frayed witch hat! Right now!"

"This?" confirmed Warudamon in contempt manner. "Do you really think I will give it up easily? You sure have a lot of nerve for a strange little girl!"

"So you do want to fight, huh...?"

Contrasting the intense atmosphere between Eri and Warudamon, Saaya had her eyes brimming with amusement.

"The CG looks so futuristic and digital, doesn't it? Are you sure we're not actually disturbing any film shots right now?"

"Uhm...," Eri raised her eyebrow at her switching partner. "I don't think so. She's our enemy, and she's gonna destroy us! Doka-chan!"

" _Wasu_!"

Answering Eri's call, Dokamon turned himself into an Ultimate Grade Appmon chip. Eri handed it to Saaya. Along with her blue AppliDrive.

"Insert your thumb here, and repeat after me," she whispered to Saaya after making sure Oujamon's chip was already pinned under the blue and yellow jagged ring of her AppliDrive.

" _DOKKAN CHUUNYUU!_ " Saaya shouted, to repeat the words Eri had whispered to her just now.

The next moment, Saaya was utterly overwhelmed by a humongous, anthropomorphic four-armed blue lion standing dignifiedly in front of her. His height surpassed even the already landing red witch, by significant inches.

"This is ... Dokamon-kun's true form...?" 

"His ultimate form," announced Eri, one hand on hip. "Oujamon, Battle Game App Appmon. His raw power is one of the top among the Ultimate Grade Appmon! Well, enough with explaining. Just finish her! Oujamon!"

"Leave it to me, _jyaki_ —!“

At Eri's command, Oujamon launched himself at Warudamon. In response, Warudamon swiftly dodged to the air.

Oujamon's lower fist hit the asphalt. Deep hole was formed. Oujamon lifted and released his fist, dripping the crumbs of asphalt stuck between his fingers.

"I won't lose like the last time, Big Blue Kitty!" exclaimed Warudamon from above.

"Who are you calling 'kitty'?!" Oujamon roared, rushing at the witch. His humongous size didn't hinder him to float in midair like Warudamon.

Aerial battle was unavoidable.

Clearly, Warudamon topped Oujamon in terms of speed and agility. Still, Oujamon had his own advantages in terms of power and stamina. It was proved several minutes later.

To keep avoiding Oujamon's rush of fists eventually tired Warudamon. The Strategy Appmon descended to the ground, in order to catch some breaths. Oujamon immediately saw that as a chance for his finishing attack.

**_“GOLDEN FANG!”_ **

Mysterious smirk bloomed under Warudamon’s bright golden eyes.

"Got you!"

As Warudamon said the words, Oujamon felt suddenly limp. Also, even though he couldn't shift any muscles, his body only experienced a halt in midair, instead of crashing down to the ground.

"What's wrong!? Oujamon!?"

"E-Eri chan...!” Oujamon’s masculine voice let out a whimper.

"You have fallen into my trap, my cute kitten...." Warudamon licked her lips.

Eri gasped as soon as she realized there were some thin threads connecting Oujamon's body and Warudamon's claws.

“How could I forget that!?” scolded Eri as if towards herself. “Warudamon’s ability is to take control of her enemies with threads that she installed to their bodies through their wounds!”

"But Oujamon isn’t even wounded. How can she stick her threads to him?" asked Saaya, bewildered.

"Oh, don't you know it?” Warudamon mocked. “Let me remind you again. I can utilize any kinds of wounds, even the smallest ones."

"Could it be...?!!” Oujamon quickly took a deeper look at the back of his right hand. Some scratches somehow had formed there.

“That’s...when Oujamon hit the asphalt...,” concluded Saaya.

“No way!" groaned Eri in disbelief.

Oujamon was now forced to turn his face to Eri and Saaya.

"Finish them!" commanded Warudamon.

“Eri-chan! Look out!" screeched Oujamon, while throwing out his fist at the girls. Eri couldn’t do much except pushing Saaya out of Oujamon’s attack range, before jumping away herself.

Saaya who hadn't been prepared for the attack, was painfully rolling on the road.

"Saaya-chan!? Are you okay!?" shouted Eri as they now separated by some distances.

"Ye-yes...," answered Saaya, holding her head. But she couldn't just relax yet, as Oujamon dashed towards Saaya-inside-Eri again, under Warudamon’s command.

“Go, my cute kitten! Destroy your beloved AppliDriver!”

"Stop this!" Oujamon cried. "I don't want to hurt Saaya-chan too!"

_SMACK!_

Warudamon was jerked by a random shoe hitting her left cheek

"Take that! You wicked witch!" hollered Eri-inside-Saaya. Her stance announced that she was the shoe thrower.

Eri couldn’t stand seeing the innocent Saaya getting targeted by Warudamon just because she was in her body.

“Come for me, if you dare! I’m the one and only real Karan Eri-sama!”

Warudamon’s eyes flashed with rage. She actually planned to destroy Oujamon’s AppliDriver first, but her damaged pride for being hit in the face was demanding  for another settlement right away.

“No! Not Eri-chan too!” Oujamon howled as his body was eventually drawn closer to his AppliDriver.

Even though Eri was much more agile than Saaya, she wouldn’t stand a chance once Warudamon decided to bring out all Oujamon’s power.

“Eri-chan! You need to get out of here while you still have chances!”

“No way! Karan Eri-sama would never run away and leave her friend alone!”

“But, Eri-chan...!”

Standing alone on the outskirt of the battle, Saaya was ignored for a while. Which gave her time to observe the situation and find the solution.

“That’s right,” she mumbled to herself. “That Appmon is taking over Oujamon through his wounds. If we can heal them, she will also lose her control over him.”

_If I transform into Cure Ange, I can do this. But...what if my Preheart—just like Eri-san’s AppliDrive—doesn’t recognize my voice or my finger tips....?_

Not wanting to waste anymore time to ponder, Saaya lifted her head. Determined spirit was reflected on her blue eyes.

_SMACK!_

Warudamon was, once again, jerked by a random shoe. This time, her right cheek was the victim.

“What!?”

Even Eri was surprised by the sudden attack.

“Sa-Saaya-chan...?”

Warudamon clinched her jaws at the sight of another shoe thrower. She immediately switched her target back to Saaya-inside-Eri.

“You little...!”

Wearing only one shoe, Saaya ran using all her might, in order to keep her distance from Oujamon.

“Eri-san! I have a cell phone in my pocket that should help us defeat her! Please use it!”

Eri took out the thing Saaya had mentioned. It was a pink capsule-shaped cellphone with a red and gold button on top. Another striking feature of its, was a big, heart-shaped red button at the base right corner of its black screen.

“Who should I call with this?” Eri didn’t see its number keypad. When she tried to find it, she accidentally triggered the phone mechanism that turned it into a heart shaped device.

“Is...is this broken?” asked Eri in panic. “I only lifted the bottom part because I thought the number pad was under there. But it spun upward and—"

Eri shrieked as she saw Oujamon was only a second behind delivering his mighty punch to Saaya.

"SAAYA-CHAN! NO!”

Upon Eri’s desperate shout, the time mysteriously stopped. Everything was still and turned gray, including Warudamon, and also Oujamon who was under her control. It seemed that only Eri and Saaya were allowed to move.

“Wha-what’s happening...?” Eri whirled around, looking at her surroundings.

“I don’t understand it either...,” Saaya reached Eri's place, retrieving her shoe she had thrown. “But, it’s okay. I’ve seen something like this before. I guess the Mirai Crystal also wants to help us after all.”

“Mirai Crystal?” repeated Eri.

Saaya nodded. “Eri-san, now please insert the little blue crystal that I also put inside the same pocket, to the cellphone.”

Eri tucked her hand into the pocket once again, and found a small blue crystal. It was indeed shimmering as if radiating some kind of mystical power.

“Wow....”

Eri couldn’t let herself stay in bewilderment, as Saaya gave her another instructions.

“Please shake the phone gently while saying ‘Heart Kiratto’! After that, you must push this heart-shaped red button three times. For the first time, you will say ‘Hagyuu’. For the second and third time, you only need to say ‘Gyuu~’... ”

Eri blinked at the long exposure. “Ca-can you repeat it again?”

Saaya thought for a while, before an idea led her to bring out Eri’s AppliDrive.

“I will show the way using this. Please repeat after me.”

“R-right!”

Facing at each other, the girls shook their switched devices, before saying the same words together.

_“HEART...KIRATTO!”_


	9. Team Meganekko - part 2

Facing each other, the girls shook their switched devices, before saying the same words of incitation together.

_“HEART...KIRATTO!”_

 

_\--_

 

As soon as their surroundings regained their colors, Warudamon indifferently continued her strike. In an instant, the road where Saaya had been standing scattered under Oujamon's fist.

Knowing that the strike had not hit anything, Warudamon's sadistic smirk dissolved into a exasperated widened eyes.

"What? Where is she?"

"Th-thank goodness," huffed Oujamon. Though he didn't have any clue on how Saaya was able to avoid him in such split second. But, he was grateful anyway.

Warudamon soon found the two girls standing behind her, still safe and unharmed.

"Darn it!" She mercilessly turned Oujamon around, against the poor Appmon's will.

That was when Oujamon realized that his Eri-chan, who’s currently inside Saaya’s body, had completely changed her appereance.

“E—Eri-chan?”

The once straight dark hair, bloomed into several layers and lost its deep blue color, turning it as bright as blue sky. Little white dress, with blue accent and short capelet resembling angel wings had replaced her ordinary outfit. Makeup touch and blue-shaded high heels gained her a stunning mature look.

 “I...transformed...?” Eri finally realized what just happened to her.

“Eri-chan, I know you’re beautiful but—! Please go away!” cried Oujamon, this time in tears. Seemed that Warudamon had stopped playing around. She was directing Oujamon to use all his power.

Out of instinct, Eri scooped her switching partner on her arms, missing Oujamon's destructive attack. 

‘Cure Ange’ and Saaya landed gracefully on a tall building. 

"I..., I jumped this high...? No way...!"

Right after putting Saaya back to her feet, Eri ran to the edge, taking a look down below to where they had been standing.

"Yes, you did, Eri-san," affirmed Saaya. "That is Cure Ange's power."

"Cure Ange...? Like a code name?"

Saaya smiled. "Something like that."

"...Say, what else can I do with this form?" Eri who had gotten over her bewilderment, questioned eagerly.

“Please use my Blue Mirai Crystal power to heal Oujamon’s wound!”

Saaya asked Eri to give her the PreHeart for a second. A small bubble of white light emerged from the PreHeart screen.

The little ball of glow felt warm, floating above Eri's palm.

"Just get closer to Oujamon and shower him with this light, right? I understand!"

Right at the same time when Oujamon charged to their place, Eri also jumped down towards his buddy, and did exactly like Saaya had instructed her.

As soon as Oujamon's body was shimerred by the light, the scratches on his fist were gone. Warudamon's threads was fading into thin air, thus the owner lost her control upon him.

“It works!” exclaimed Eri, turning to Saaya who nodded in relief.

"No way!?" Warudamon's golden eyes wide open. "How did you do that?!"

Oujamon hollered in excitement. "Eri-chan, I can move freely again!"

Side by side with Cure Ange-Eri, he turned to face Warudamon. Glaring fiercely.

"You made me almost hurt Eri-chan and Saaya-chan. I will never forgive you, _jyaki_!"

The Battle App Appmon jumped high to deploy his finishing attack.

**_"GOLDEN FANG!"_ **

"Don't ever think that you already win!"

Warudamon warped herself in her red cape, turning into a big gaping mouth with unsheathed teeth coming towards Eri.

**_"SATAN MUND!"_ **

Oujamon gasped in the middle of his assault. "Eri-chan!"

Aborting his finishing attack, Oujamon descended to hold Warudamon's effort eating his buddy alive.

Nevertheless, Eri "Cure Ange" turned up to be faster.

**_"DOKKAN PUNCH!!"_ **

She took off and hit right at Warudamon's giant 'jowl'. The Strategy App Appmon's aggressive form was straight off disassembling, reverting herself back to her humanoid form.

Warudamon coughed for the damage, but still managed to hold herself up in the midair.

"What power...!"

"I'm not done yet!"

To Warudamon's shock, Eri was already behind her, and took a grip of her cape. Using one hand, the girl effortlessly, yet angrily, whirled the Appmon's body around, before finishing it by slamming her down painfully into the ground.

The impact was enough to shake its surroundings, much like a local earthquake.

Even Saaya couldn't hide her gapped mouth stare. For not being used to see 'herself' being so violent.

"You brat!! You're gonna pay for this!!"

The red witch was about to get up, but Oujamon stopped her struggle by pinning her down.

"Get off me, you ugly cat!!"

"Eri-san! Please use Melody Sword!" Saaya's hands forming a funnel around her mouth, from the peak of the tall building she was on.

"Melody Sword?"

Upon the Precure's weapon name, Eri found her hand suddenly holding a sword-like wand.

"This is...?"

"My finishing attack is called 'Feather Blast'!" shouted Saaya again. "The power is all yours, Eri-san!"

"I don't really understand, though.... But I will try!"

Eri aimed the tip of the wand to the struggling Oujamon and Warudamon.

Medium-sized white wings randomly bursted out from Eri's back. They then scattered into a blast of feathers, rushing valiantly towards her enemy.

**_"FEATHER BLAST!"_ **

Oujamon dashed away from Warudamon, giving way for Eri's attack to completely hit the target. Warudamon screamed as her body was struck by the blasting white light. Still, Precure attack didn't do as much as reverting her into an Appmon chip.

"Finish the job, Oujamon!" commanded Eri.

**_"GOLDEN FANG!!"_ **

Saaya held up Eri's AppliDrive and watched breathlessly as Warudamon's chip manifested under the blue and yellow ring.

Oujamon reverted himself back to Dokamon and picked up the green stone  left on the ground.

"Here's the material piece, Eri-chan!" Dokamon handed it.

"Thank you, Dokamon!"

"I'm sorry that I attacked you back then, Eri-chan."

Eri shook head, patting her buddy. "It's not Doka-chan's fault. You never intended to hurt us, and we're all safe in the end. Thanks to Saaya-chan's mysterious power."

Eri, still as Cure Ange, returned to Saaya's place up on the top of tall building. Saaya gave up Warudamon chip and Eri installed it into her Seven Code Band.

"Thank you, Saaya-chan! We wouldn't be able to defeat Warudamon without your help!"

"I just did what I could do," responded Saaya honestly.

They went back to where Dokamon was waiting. Dokamon also expressed his guilt for almost hurting Saaya. To which Saaya responded that he didn't have to.

Eri undid her transformation, turning back to 'Saaya''s civilian form, save for her own twintails.

"So...Saaya-chan..., what is this power you have, exactly? Are you perhaps...,” Eri dampened her lips, “...a magical girl?”

Saaya chuckled in both guilt and embarrassment. Shutting her eyes, she regretfully put her hands together above her head mentally. _I’m sorry, Hana! Everyone!_

“The answer for that is ‘Yes’..., I guess?”

 

 

 


	10. Team High Jump - Part 1

"That Craftmon lives here?" Homare-inside-Rei gazed at the little house in front of her. It's not the house's size that baffled her. It's the cute and childish design. If Homare was not mistaken, the house was resided by an old lady and her twenty-year-old twin granddaughters. The lady used to be a kindergarten teacher. Even after retiring, she still loved to make toys and dolls for children in the neighborhood.

"In its AR Field," corrected Rei, taking out his AppliDrive, and letting Homare to AppliArise Hackmon.

He was on his way to split open an AR Field portal, when Homare held him.

"Wait! I'm going too!"

Rei and Hackmon looked at her as if she was joking.

"Yeah, right...," Rei rolled his eyes. “You're going to wait here. And I will come back with Craftmon chip capable to provide us with the mirror once we complete the materials.”

“No! What I’m saying is I’m going with you to meet this Craftmon guy!”

“What do you have in store to convince me that you’re good enough to accompany me?”

“You’re in no condition to fight as you can’t change Hackmon into higher level, right?”

“Both of us can manage it somehow. You’ll only hinder us.”

“Not me. You!” snapped Homare. “I have your body. And your ability to be an AppliDriver. How can you say that ‘you’ will hinder you?”

“You’re being unreasonable. You may have my body. But I won’t fully entrust my AppliDrive to you.”

“I just want to let you use your own body for your own convenience. What's wrong with that?"

"That's not my body if it's used by other people."

"So you'd rather have Hackmon beaten?"

"No one will defeat me and Hackmon."

"Rei," Hackmon peeked from beneath his hood. "We won't get anywhere by arguing with her. Let her join."

Rei sighed and glanced back at Homare. "Fine. But I won't bother if something happens to you."

 

-

 

Once they were inside the house's AR Field, they slowly opened the door. Homare protested that they should have knocked the door first. Hackmon reassured her that in this AR Field, the house was a craft shop. And it's currently open.

Inside, they were welcomed by a dark, wide room with shelves dominating one wall, full of books and trifles. A queer-shaped couch sat facing a wide window. Its white curtains swayed, revealing their uneven lengths.

A scream almost slipped Homare's lips, when the curtain happened to caress her cheek. She's hurriedly catching up to Rei who was already in front of her.

The spooky atmosphere lingering around, drove Homare unconsciously grabbing a hold of Rei's right shoulder.

"What?"

"No-nothing!" Homare swiftly released her hand.

"There's no ghost here."

"I-I know that!"

The coffee table in front of the couch was adorned by a sloppy braided mat. Crafted wooden ornaments and the tools were left unattended on the floor.

Homare whispered, "Are you sure this is the right place?"

"What do you want?"

A hoarse voice was heard. The owner showed himself from behind the queer couch. He looked like a skinny, slouchy construction worker. A stare full of wary suspicion he wore.

"Long time no see, Craftmon," greeted Hackmon.

Craftmon squinted his eyes at the Hacking Appmon.

"I see that you're still dawdling with human."

”And you're still as depressed as ever."

Craftmon snorted. "What do you want?"

"We're searching for Mirrormon," Rei took over.

"I don't know that kind of guy," Craftmon coldly replied.

"But you sure know about the blueprint of his mirror, don't you?" pushed Hackmon. "I want you to build one for us."

"Unfortunately I don't have one," Craftmon huffed. "Besides, it's impossible to make anything if I don't have the materials!"

"Really?" Rei's voice chimed in, through Homare's control. "But it's written on this plate here that you can make anything out of thin air as long as you have the blueprint?"

Craftmon choked at the remark. He dashed with his hammer, wrecking the plate hanging near the window into pieces. 

"It has nothing to do with this! That mirror is a special item! It needs Scorpmon's silver powder, Warudamon's jade stone, Sukashimon's copper plate, and Compassmon's thick glass. Even Mirrormon himself said it was too troublesome to find all of them so he decided to snatch any random mirror he found whenever he needed a new one!"

"So you do know him...," muttered Homare.

Gasping at his own carelessness, Craftmon turned his back at the uninvited guests.

"Now you know the situation, you have to get out here before I decide to chase you all off!"

"We already got one material," claimed Homare. "Right?" She elbowed Rei softly.

Craftmon glanced nonchalantly into Rei's offered hand.

"Compassmon's thick glass, huh?"

"Our friends are also on their ways to get the others," informed Homare.

"No guarantee, then. Some other materials are guarded by much stronger Appmon than the pathetic Compassmon who's sulking at Appmon Cemetery just because his app isn't popular.... Your human friends wouldn't stand a chance in front of them. Now, leave! Or I will make this house as your cemetery."

"Hackmon," Rei readied his AppliDrive, even though he shouldn't be able to use it on his own for now.

"No, hold it, Rei!" halted Hackmon.

The hooded Appmon walked towards Craftmon's right ear, whispering something.

Craftmon's face changed. His stare at his old friend, switched between being surprised and restraining himself.

"No," Craftmon looked away, "You can't convince me anymore! I'm done getting manipulated just because you always get stuffs that I want!"

"Well, that is what hackers do. Getting stuffs for their friends."

"I'm not your friend!!"

"What are they talking about?" Homare slanted her head.

"Beats me...," Rei shrugged.

"Oh, I thought you were gonna love this...," Hackmon turned around and took something out from beneath his cloak. "The secret photo of Wakamiya Henri portraying Cinderella for his school drama project."

“"What?!"”

Not only Craftmon who expressed his astonishment. Homare also let out a similar voice.

"Wakamiya Henri..., you say?" repeated Homare reluctantly.

"Yeah," affirmed Hackmon. "This guy here is a figure skate otaku. You would be surprised by his knowledges about that stuff."

"...You’re right,  I am surprised..."

_Especially since I am also a figure skater myself. But..., he doesn't seem to recognize me. Well, no surprise, though. I left that world for too long..._

"You know that Wakamiya guy?" It's Rei's turn to slant his head to Homare.

"Hm..., yeah, we are kind of childhood friends. He's a world class young skater. Believed to be soon claiming his throne as the prince of figure skating world."

"...Oh..." Rei mildly reacted.

Some idea flashed Homare's mind. "Hey, can I have my phone back? It's in my skirt's left pocket."

"Well? Would you help us now?"  Hackmon observed Craftmon.

Craftmon was silent for a while, before shooking his head, strongly than ever.

"My answer won't change. I bet the clothes weren't that special, since it was for a mere school project..."

"Then, how about this?"

Homare stepped forward, and showed Craftmon her phone.

"This is...!" Something that Homare was showing stunned Craftmon.

"He wore this wedding gown for Yoshimi Rita's fashion show last month."

"Yoshimi Rita?! You mean, Yoshimin? That famous designer!?"

"So, you know her too? That's good."

Homare took away her phone from Craftmon, tucking it in her pocket.

"Hey! I still want to see that!"

"I'll give you the picture if you're willing to help us."

"That's not fair!" Craftmon exclaimed.

"No pain no gain. That's what they say."

Craftmon's teeth gritted. He turned his face away.

"Fine! Keep it for yourself! I won't be sold on it anyway!"

"Even that didn't work, huh...," whispered Hackmon.

"She seems to have something else under her sleeves, though," muttered Rei.

"Your sleeves. She's in your body and clothes right now."

"Whatever."

"I can make you see Wakamiya Henri in person if you want," declared Homare.

"W-wha...!" Craftmon sputtered in disbelief. "What did you say?!"

"I can make you see Wakamiya Henri in person if you want. He's a childhood friend of mine."

"You're lying!"

"No. I'm not," Homare showed him another picture of her and Henri together taken some years ago.

Craftmon cringed.

"How do you expect me to believe this? The person with Henri isn't even you! It's that girl behind you, isn't it?! You stole her phone and boasted about you being Henri's friend. You're just as bad as this hooded hacker!"

"Now, that's rude. I won't fail to realize the bizzare situation, when somehow myself is trapped in the wrong body," implied Hackmon, reminding Homare in an instant.

_'Crap! I completely forgot that I'm currently not myself!'_

"W-well, you see...," Homare stuttered for an excuse.

Seeing how the situation had flowed, Hackmon decided to take advantage of it.

"Yeah, you are exactly right, Craftmon. This girl here...," Hackmon pointed at Rei-inside-Homare. "...is really Wakamiya Henri's friend. She's also a figure skater herself. The new shooting star among the stars. Kagayaki Homare."

 

 

 


	11. Team High Jump - Part 2

"Yeah, you are exactly right, Craftmon. This girl here...," Hackmon pointed at Rei-inside-Homare. "...is really Wakamiya Henri's friend. She's also a figure skater herself. The new shooting star among the stars. Kagayaki Homare."

"Oi! Hackmon!" hissed Rei. "What are you doing?"

"It's okay. Just believe in me," whispered Hackmon. "Remember. It's easier to use him if you present a good first impression."

"That's not what I mean! You know that she and I are switching bodies. Just explain the situation to him!"

"He's a thick-skulled fella. It's useless to give him long explanation. Moreover, he's already distrusted Homare and me. You're our only hope to make him willing to help us about the mirror."

"Ugh...."

"So, you're that Kagayaki Homare?!" Craftmon approached Rei. "But your hair used to be long and kept in ponytail.... Why did you cut it?"

"It's...easier to take care of short hair," answered Rei randomly. "That aside, we really need Mirrormon's mirror quick—"

"Hold it," Craftmon interrupted. "I've noticed that you keep frowning since you came here. Do smile more! You're a figure skater, remember? You won't win the judges' hearts with sulking face like that!"

Rei scowled even more at the remark. "I'm not—"

Hackmon cleared his throat. "Yes, Homare, you get to listen to him. Your smile might be precious enough to win his special service; creating Mirrormon's mirror. Right, Craftmon?"

"That Hackmon.... He's enjoying this, isn't he...?" grumbled Rei under his breath.

"To be honest, though, me too," added Homare unexpectedly.

"What?"

"Never mind."

The Design App Appmon contemplated Hackmon's suggestion for a while.

"No, that wouldn't be enough."

"Huh?" The three blinked at Craftmon's determined low voice.

"You have to skate for me! Kagayaki Homare!"

 

 

 

"This is ridiculous...." breathed Rei-inside-Homare, as his fallen butt was sliding through the ice rink built by Craftmon's ability. The skating boots and blades he was wearing―also created by Craftmon―were proved to be useless under his feet.

"What a disgraceful form," Craftmon scoffed. "I know it's been a long time since she stopped skating because of injury.... But falling after sliding a few meters is just too much. She's no different than an amateur."

Hackmon quietly stole a glance at the girl inside his buddy's frame.

"She may be just nervous," said Hackmon, to which Homare reacted.

"Yeah, of course she is...,"  murmured Homare. Her stare given to her own figure on the rink, was as if losing sight of the clear line between past and present.

"That's enough!" Craftmon turned, heading back to his house. "This is not what I want to see. You won't get any mirror with this, ever!"

"Don't you want to meet Wakamiya Henri?" Hackmon's remark brought a halt to Craftmon's steps. "She may be not good enough, but she's still Wakamiya's friend. She really needs that mirror. So she would bring him to you, even if she had to drag him."

Homare stopped Hackmon and whispered. "Wait! I didn't say anything about dragging him!"

"If you don't mind to lend us another pair of skates, my human buddy can lead her," Hackmon continued nonetheless, regarding Homare. "He ice skates too, just for fun. So he's not as good as Wakamiya Henri."

Craftmon's eyes contained doubt.

"You won't lose anything by letting him try," assured Hackmon.

 "Huh? What's this?" Homare didn't  understand right away, the meaning of skates offered to her. Fortunately, Hackmon gave her signal to comply.

"Help her to remember how to skate, Rei."

 

 

 

"Sorry, but I never thought he would ask you―me―to actually skate."

Rei snorted, as he took Homare's hand. "Tell me about it."

Like a newborn deer, Rei tried to stand on his blades, holding on both Homare's hands.

"You have strong legs."

"Huh...?" Rei looked up.

"I mean, this body's legs. Your legs."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I can skate easily and even support you using this body, even though you don't seem to have any skating experience before. That means something."

Finally getting steady on his feet, Rei released Homare. But almost falling on his butt again, had Homare not caught him.

"Just relax," whispered Homare, resting Rei's hands on her own, guiding him into a slow gliding. "You're in my body. This should be easy for you."

"Don't speak irresponsible statement like that! I'm not you! You're not me!"

 "I know," responded Homare quietly.  "But we do seem to have something in common. We've lost something important. That's why you're paired up with a Hacking App Appmon. You need to find something that is no longer obtainble in this world. Am I wrong?"

 "I will find him no matter what...," hissed Rei, more towards himself. "That's why I can't get stuck in this body forever."

 "....Him?"

 "None of your business."

"...I see."

Slightly stronger wind caressed Rei's face as Homare accelerated their steps. At one point, Homare released Rei's one hand. Letting him skate around by her side while facing the same direction as her.

"Wait! I'm not yet...!"

"Spread your arms. Believe it that you are flying."

That was Homare said, which Rei followed hesitantly. Honestly, relying on one hand was almost like being abandoned. Rei was pretty sure that he would soon drown.

Or so he thought. After some gliding—or flying like Homare called—it instead started to feel like being freed. The still and mute AR Field around the rink stirred as if they're flying through it. He could clearly see the view where he himself was aiming. Though technically, he was still being linked to Homare's movement and restricted to her lead.

But even the Homare beside him was wearing his figure after all. So that made no difference, Rei guessed.

"Don't forget to smile. We need this to get ourselves the mirror," reminded Homare, showing a sweet smile herself.

Rei shuddered at the sight, and looked away.

Of course. For Rei, that sweet smile blooming on his own face, was a very disturbing view.

"Don't be kidding. I never want to―"

"...!! Look out!!"

As Rei sheepishly released Homare, following by Homare's reflexed, yet unprepared effort to catch the boy she was skating with, they successfully stumbled on the cold rink.

 

 

 

"That wasn't good. At all," uttered Craftmon, regarding their performance. If that could be called so.

"I can see that," supported Hackmon, which gained silent leers from Rei and Homare.

"But still. Good to have you back, Kagayaki Homare."

Homare quietly chuckled, while Rei blinked as the words were obviously directed to him. _Wow, he still hasn't realized I'm not her._

"Yeah. Whatever," responded Rei. "So how about the mirror?"

"Huh?! Do you think that performance will win me over? Try again!"

"He's right. You didn't even showed him the smile he wanted, Homare!"

Rei glared. ".... Hackmon, which side are you on?"

"How about Henri? Don't you want to see him? Please, we really need that mirror!" Homare pleaded.

"....Nah, I don't like being around human in the first place. I prefer seeing him from a far."

"....Are you a chaste maiden or something...?"

It was right after Homare commented on that, Rei muttered.

"I was being soft all this time because he's Hackmon's friend. But we have no time for this useless argument."

To Homare's surprise, Rei handed her his AppliDrive. Revivemon's chip was readied under its black and gold jagged ring.

"Hackmon's ultimate form. This guy is rather huge. Be careful."

 

 

"I can't believe your Appmon destroyed this house just by being here!" Homare hollered.

"What did you expect? I've warned you that Revivemon is huge," shrugged Rei, referring to the two-faced, enormous winged black dragon by his side.

Although the dragon was said to have two faces, it didn't summarily have two heads. One face normally occupied his head, and the other was presented as a blaster on his chest. 

Rei pointed his Seven Code Band to Revivemon, telling him to revert back to his standard chip form. The boy then turned to Homare for the Craftmon chip manifesting inside the AppliDrive she's holding.

"But still, this is a civilian house!"  Homare insisted. "Some humans must live in the real world version of the house, and now you destroyed it!"

"Don't worry about it," voiced Hackmon, already in his chip form. "The real world doesn't mimick the AR Field. It's the opposite. Though..., some times later, this may get turned around―"

"Hackmon, you've talked too much," Rei halted. It's better to keep the true horror of AppliDrivers' strongest enemy as a secret.

"Sorry."

"What? What may get turned around?"

"It's nothing," Hackmon answered Homare flatly.

"Yeah, more importantly, it's the mirror," uttered Rei, handing Homare his AppliDrive with Craftmon chip inside. "We must make him promise us to build one, as soon as Haru and the others finish gathering the materials."

"I know it's too late to warn you about this, Rei. But I think it's not going to be easy to order Craftmon around."

Hackmon was right.

 

 

 

"Stop!" groaned Rei. "What are you doing!?"

"Yeah. You're going to ruin the handkerchief if you keep rubbing it to his lips fiercely like that," said Hackmon.

"Correction. These are my lips," growled Homare. "I have to get rid the trace of having kissed that nasty Appmon on cheeks."

"Not that I wanted to do it either!" Rei snarled back.

Even after being caught and reverted into his chip form, Craftmon still regarded himself to have bargaining power. He proposed a better offer. 'Homare''s smile and kiss for one special mirror. Of course, those had to be executed by Rei, as the current 'Homare'.

"Stop it, you two," warned Hackmon. "Or he's gonna find out that you are actually swapping bodies, and we have tricked him all along."

"You're the one to talk!" snapped Homare and Rei in unison.

"...And you two are getting synchronized lately, aren't you?"

Blinking, Rei and Homare turned at each other, before once again yelping simultaneously.

“We're not!"

 

 

 

"Seems that we will be the one to reach the store first, doesn't it?" remarked Hana.

"You're right...," Haru agreed. "I hope everyone is doing okay, and return with the other materials safely."

They were just a few hundreds meters before reaching Beauty Harry, when they sensed a random tremble shaking the ground.

"What's this? An earthquake...?"

Hana inspected the direction to their store.

"Don't tell me, it's  _Oshimaida_...?"

" _Oshimaida_?" repeated the confused Haru.

Hana bit her lips. "We get to hurry, Haru-kun! Hugtan and the others may be in trouble!"

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Katsura Rei and Katsuki Yuuri (YOI) have the same VA.  
> * And yes, this fanfic happens before Rei finds Hajime and Leviathan is still around.


	12. Team Androids - Part 1

_**Thirty minutes earlier.** _

Yuujin washed his hands in the kitchen after he finished hanging Harry's clothes in the backyard.

"I see.... So Ruru-san, Hugtan, and Harry-san all came from the future?"

"Does it not surprise you?" asked Ruru, showing signs of being surprised herself.

Yuujin chuckled. "I've seen strange things too since I met Offmon and became an AppliDriver. I think, meeting time travelers is just one of them?"

"No, no, of course not," Harry who's being carried by Ruru, waved his hand in denial. "Time travelers are clearly on different level weirdness compared to cute little monsters from smartphone world. I mean..., they came from far, mysterious unknown future, ya know!? While smartphone is something ordinary that ya use almost everyday in this era!"

"Do you think so?" Yuujin turned to Ruru.

"Time traveling has been popularly depicted in fiction since 1895. At that time, H. G. Wells wrote a novella titled The Time Machine, which became the universal term for the vehicle that capable to carry its users purposely and selectively to another era. Compared to this old trope, cute little monsters coming from internet world and being based on smartphone applications is actually a very refreshing thing to happen to humanity, even in fiction. Especially when smartphone applications have been used widely even by school-aged children."

"Wait a sec!" interrupted Harry. "So yer sayin' that those little monsters are actually more 'up-to-date' compared to us comin' literally from the future?"

"If we were some fiction characters from comics or anime, I think there would be 76% probability that the viewers would say so in their reviews. Time travel is already outdated," uttered Ruru, giving Harry a mental stab at his chest.

"Well, they're all interesting, I think. Whether it's Appmon, or time traveler," Yuujin mediated. "And android too."

Ruru caught Yuujin nodding at her, grinning sincerely.

"You're not afraid of me?"

"Eh? Why should I? Instead of being afraid, I should be grateful to you, Ruru-san. You're the one who saved me when we just arrived here, right?"

Harry bumped his currently small fist onto his palm. “Good point. If Ruru had not caught ya back then, ya would have ended up switchin' bodies with her!”

“Logically speaking, it's impossible for me to switch bodies with normal human,” argued Ruru. “Humans and animals have natural souls. While androids have to rely on their scientifically made CPU that controls their moves and thought. I wouldn't switch bodies with anyone, as long as my CPU wasn't switched into another android body.”

"...I see...," Harry drawled, not knowing another way to respond to the long, difficult explanation.

"But still," Yuujin differed. "...even though no one ordered, you helped me and my friends back then because you wanted to, right? It means that you're just like us. You really have human heart and soul, despite your android nature."

Ruru stared at the smiling boy doubtfully. Yet upon discovering nothing but sincerity in the smile, she later returned the favor gratefully.

"Thank you...very much."

 

 

"Yuujin...," Offmon's cute, pampered voice sang his buddy's name, when the three were back to the bedroom. "Hugtan wants to get her diapers changed,  _ofu_."

"Eh? Already?" responded Harry in surprise.

"Harry's body do have a good metabolism system," uttered Ruru.

"Hey, now, yer embarrassing me...!"

"That wasn't really a compliment, but―"

"Excuse me! Can you help me find nice outfit for high school reunion?" A woman's voice shouted impatiently from downstairs.

"No way! A customer at this time?!" Harry shrieked.

"But I saw that the sign on our door was still 'closed'," told Ruru.

"Maybe she didn't read it because the door was left unlocked," guessed Yuujin.

"Ugh....What a troublesome customer comin' at the most troublesome time...."

"I will explain to her," Ruru stepped outside. "Everyone should stay here."

Yuujin nodded. "I'll handle Hugtan."

"I will also help,  _ofu_!"

"And I...," Harry stared at Yuujin and Ruru taking over things that should be his responsibilities. "...have to just stay here safely, I guess...."

The young man inside baby body sighed regretfully.

 

 

 

No one realized that other than the female costumer, there was also an old man wearing green long coat and mechanical-themed top hat, watching over Beauty Harry from outside.

"So, this is Precure hideout, huh...?" he said in admiration. "What a fine place to begin someone's happiness."

"I thought that the store was open!" He suddenly heard a woman hollering in anger. "Next time, you should make it clear for the customers! Had I brought along my friends right now, can you imagine how embarrassed I would have been when I ended up couldn't buy the things I had bragged to them? Not because I didn't bring enough money, but because you were not ready to open the store!"

The woman talked about embarrassment, and Ruru couldn't help but looking confused. She wasn't able to grasp the essence of being embarrassed for somebody's fault. Still, her programming judged that she had to repeat her apologies, and convince the woman that they wouldn't make the same mistake.

Ruru seemed to manage, but it didn't change the fact that the woman had felt miserable when she left the store. That situation didn't escape the old man's notice.

"Wow, you sure are a good Toge Power source, ma'am," praised the old man.

"W-what...?"

That was when Ruru registered his presence.

"You are...Dr. Traum!" Ruru exclaimed the old man's name. She didn't seem to be delighted at the sight of the dandy old man. "Madam, you have to leave here! He's dangerous!"

It was too late. The woman was freezing in place, surrounded by her own Toge Power, which was represented by prickly purple balls floating around.

"This week's _Bikkuri Dondon Mecha_ is~" the old man began to sing and dance in front of a giant machine resembling his own head.  "You! Time to work! _Mou Oshimaida_!"

Upon Dr. Traum's call, the machine trapped the woman's Toge Power inside its mouth. With one push of a button, the machine produced a gigantic mechanical monster appearing as a giant lady wearing metallic red gown.

" _Mou! Oshimaida!_ " the monster screamed its name.

Ruru took out her Preheart and purple Mirai Crystal, preparing to transform, before realizing that the transformation wouldn't start as long as she's not with her duo partner, Emiru.

"Oh, you seem troubled, young lady," Dr. Traum noted, half deploring. "Waiting for your friends? Then again, aren't you capable to fight alone? As an Android produced by Criase Corp, that is."

Ruru's eyes went huge at the remark.

_That's right. I may not be human. There are always things that I can't do as good as humans. But on the other hand, I'm also capable doing something that humans can't do._

Glaring at the monster charging towards her, Ruru readied her stance.

_I will hold this monster until Emiru and the others returned._

 

 

 

 

Yuujin just finished changing Hugtan-inside-Harry's diapers, when the booming noise rang out, resulting a mild shake inside the bedroom.

 " _Mou_! _Oshimaida_!"

"What...is that...?"

He wanted to see what happened. But he's still restricted by the duty to put Hugtan back to Harry's trousers.

Meanwhile, Harry understood well what that commotion was about.

_Criase Corp's attack at this timing?! But Hana and others still don't even come back yet!_

" _Mou_! _Oshimaida_!"

Offmon jumped to the windowsill.

"Yuujin! That's...!"

Yuujin followed his buddy as soon as he could leave Hugtan. And the scene spread out before him was something he could imagine to occur either in film or in the AR Field when they fought a virus-infected Appmon.

"But that giant creature..., it's not an Appmon, is it?" Yuujin wondered.

"It's very strong,  _ofu_ ," noted Offmon quietly.

Yuujin noticed that too. Ruru, being much smaller than the monster, was distinctly being pushed backwards, despite the efforts she was putting in.

"We have to help her, Offmon!" Yuujin brought out his AppliDrive DUO.

" _Ofu_!"

"Harry-san, can I leave Hugtan to you?"

Harry nodded reluctantly, "Yeah..., I'll manage. But don't forget to lock the door and windows! Who knows what this 'adult' Hugtan would do, especially when I can't turn into an adult myself!"

 

 

 

 

Yuujin had to run down the stair while adjusting Offmon's Ultimate Chip inside his AppliDrive. So he would have everything ready, as soon as he stepped out the store.

But his arrival happened to be noticed by Dr. Traum.

"Oh, another customer?" The doc clucked. "What a shame, he doesn't seem to have Toge Power that much...."

"Leave him alone!" Ruru yelled at Traum. Her intense rush of punches on the monster's face slowed down as she shifted her attention.

The monster turned out to be smart enough to recognize a good chance. Just when Ruru's attention was no longer concentrated on it, it caught one of her rushing punch.

"What!?"

The grip was way too strong, even for Ruru. She tried to counter by using her free hand, but that single punch also ended up being locked inside the monster's other hand.

" _Mou_! _Oshimaida_!"

Ruru didn't give up. She still had her legs. But the monsters didn't want to be bothered by Ruru anymore. In one swing, it flung her body away, like throwing a cat.

"Inserti―"

Meanwhile, Yuujin couldn't complete his command to his AppliDrive, for he caught a glimpse of Ruru's figure coming towards him at rushing speed―

"...!"

―and crashing right on his head, before he could ever react much.

The AppliDrive, still containing Offmon's Ultimate Chip under its purple and white jagged ring, tossed aside onto the ground as its owner lost his balance, and later consciousness.

 

 


	13. Team Androids - Part 2

"Inserti―"

Yuujin couldn't complete his command to his AppliDrive, for he caught a glimpse of Ruru's figure coming towards him at rushing speed―

"...!"

―and crashing right on his head, before he could even react much.

The AppliDrive, still containing Offmon's Ultimate Chip under its purple and white jagged ring, tossed aside onto the ground as its owner lost his balance, and later consciousness.

"Is it over...?" Dr. Traum suspired disappointedly at the closed eyes and agonized traces on Ruru's face. "What a letdown. I thought she could do better than that."

In the end, androids were just programmed old A.I having human-like body. When they didn't fulfill their creators' expectation, the creators still could make more of their kinds, and throw away the failed ones.

_I guess losing RUR-9500 doesn't impact our corporation that much._

"Well," Dr. Traum patted his monster on its right leg, "Seems that our job here is done. I've also got some useful data about the current RUR-9500. The other Precure do not seem to show up soon, too. We're going home, _Oshimaida_!"

" _Oshi_!"

Dr. Traum and his monsters almost left the store, when the Doc realized something.

"Oh, did she run into the boy?" Dr. Traum approached Ruru and Yuujin's still bodies. "He came to this store at the worst timing, didn't he? But, he lost consciousness just by that? Well, humans are really fragile creatures, after all."

"Son? Can you stand?" Dr. Traum shook Yuujin's limp shoulder. "Sorry, my monster didn't mean to hit you. Hey, _Oshimaida_ , apologize to this boy, would you?"

" _Oshi_...," the monster lowered its head, linking its index fingers. The gesture blurred its creepy image, and instead made it look cute in a way.

"See? It's already apologized. Now, you have to wake up, or I would be troubled for killing―"

Dr. Traum's mumbling abruptly stopped after his hand touched Yuujin's bare arm.

_This sensation..., don't tell me.... He's also..._

Dr. Traum quickly took off his gloves, intending to examine more of Yuujin's skin. At the same time, Ruru's body stirred, indicating her regaining consciousness.

"Oh, good morning, young lady...!" greeted Traum, his move on Yuujin stopped. "But I'm afraid, we have to postpone our battle, as I have to check on this boy's―"

Dr. Traum got cut off entirely by the sudden backhand swing sending him off the ground. Had his monster not reacted quick enough to catch him, his old bones must have crumbled by hitting the ground right now.

"Thank you..., _Oshimaida_. I owe you one..."

Floating away from the monster's palm, Dr. Traum dusted off his coat and sighed.

"Young lady..., I thought you'd already been taught about how to treat your elders? What's with that sudden backhand? It might have killed me, you know?"

Separated by a few meters, Dr. Traum managed to take a deep look at Ruru's violet eyes. Strangely enough, instead of determined resolve when she fought his monster while ago, those violet eyes were flickering a pair of cold, red dots inside them.

"Listen, young lady. It doesn't mean that I want to harm your customer there," Traum indicated Yuujin. "I just want to confirm whether that boy is really―"

Ruru's intriguing stoic expression hardened. As if not wanting Traum to finish his sentence, she charged at full speed to the doctor.

Taken aback by the potential danger, Dr. Traum called for his monsters, " _Oshimaida_!"

" _Oshi_!"

Ruru's fist hit the loyal monster's hand covering the targeted Traum.

The Doctor sighed in relief, but his _Oshimaida_ bellowed in pain, as the punch impact turned up to split open a crack on one of its hand.

Not enough with that, Ruru grabbed one of its fingers and used it as her hold to smack the monster down. The ground trembled as it filled the air with dust and smoke on the impact.

"What the―" Traum gasped. 

_Did she activate her maximum fighting mode on her own? But, that would be impossible. She may be our advanced android, but isn't advanced enough to unlock that mode and install it into the programming herself._

" _Osh_ - _oshimaida_!!" The monsters got up on its knee, only to get  flattened again by the fierce android's uppercut.

_Or, did she evolve herself? If that's true, then she may become a real threat for us later._

Standing triumphantly on her fallen foe, Ruru coldly raised her fist. Ready to land her finishing blow on the horrified monster's face.

Traum realized defeating Ruru should not be his priority right now. Yet on the other hand, he couldn't let his monster get defeated by this girl, who didn't even transform into Precure. If this reached his superiors' ears, his reputation would be ruined.

_Besides, that boy still interests me. How does his skin feel similar to the synthetic one used for RUR-9500? Is he a cyborg? Or even...a complete android like her?_

"Alright, you win, young lady. We're retreating. So, can you please spare my monster at least?" pleaded Traum. Ruru stopped her fist midair, stoically looking at the Doc.

"Please?"

Still silent as before, Ruru complied. She jumped down the monster, letting it get up on its own.

" _Oshi_...," the monster had just managed to hold himself up, when another command from Traum came.

" _Oshimaida_! Grab the boy and we're out of here!"

" _O-oshi_!!" Being a complete loyal underling it was, it quickly shifted towards Yuujin, extending its hand to the boy.

Upon that unexpected order, Ruru almost got back into fighting stance again, until she saw something important enough to make her reconsider her decision.

Yuujin's body that's stirring to wake up.  
 

  
 

 

 

_**Problems:** _

  * A giant monster and its creator want to take Oozora Yuujin's body away
  * The creator seems to have suspected Oozora Yuujin's true nature as a non-human.
  * YJ-14 program somehow ends up being booted in the wrong body.
  * While the original program of the mentioned body seems to get booted in Oozora Yuujin's body instead.
  * Being fully conscious about its nature as an Android, yet still not being aware that it's actually in the wrong body, the foreign original program may intend to fight the monster while still being inside Oozora Yuujin's body.



**_Analyzing..._ **

  * Oozora Yuujin wasn't designed to get into a harsh fight. In normal condition, it's as durable as a human boy can be, yet at the same time, it's also as fragile as the other humans naturally are. It's obvious that it would not stand a chance against the monster.
  * Compared to it, this foreign body have been proven to be able to take down the monster with almost no effort. For Leviathan as the mother program of YJ-14, has taken part in accessing the secret algorithms needed by the body to fight with full advantage.
  * Nevertheless, fighting the monster using this body's capabilities would lead to a threatening conclusion by the foreign program that Oozora Yuujin isn't human.
  * Before this, the said program has scanned Oozora Yuujin's body once to make sure it is alright after falling, and Leviathan had to get into its system to modify its scanning result display.



_**Informations update:** _

  * Shinkai Haru is on his way back to this store.



_**Conclusions:** _

  * Protecting Oozora Yuujin's body is undeniably a must.
  * Losing Oozora Yuujin's body would grant Leviathan much bigger loss rather than having Oozora Yuujin's secret revealed would.
  * To make up any loss that might be caused by this information leak, Leviathan itself will take appropriate actions regarding those who would potentially ruin its plan.



_**Secret Information Leak Warning, dismissed. Full Protection Mode, activated.** _

 

 

 

Even though she had just gained her consciousness back, Ruru-inside-Yuujin was already clinching her fists, facing the approaching monster. She was so absorbed in getting ready to fight, that she'd still not realized something was wrong with her current body.

Until she saw her own figure dashing from up above, down to her front. Through that quick and sharp landing, she stomped on the monster's hand, breaking it in the process. And more importantly, thwarting its effort to snatch Ruru away. When the monster tried using its other hand, it ended up letting out another yelp as 'the other Ruru' put 'her' whole weight to the already broken hand to start another jump, and drop-kicked the other hand's wrist onto the ground.

It should not surprise Ruru, since she was just an android that can be duplicated, much like any other inanimate objects. This 'girl' might be also one of her copies.

_But how did she get here? Who sent her?_

_And..., where is Yuujin? My whole body accidentally hit him during my fight with this exact monster―_

_Wait. Could it be..._

Ruru lowered her gaze to herself, and went wide eyed.

"This is...Yuujin's...?" Ruru inspected the body in disbelief.

_How is it possible...? I am...actually inside a human body?_

She slowly lifted her face, as if the body was made from glass that might break if she didn't careful enough. Her vision soon reflected her own figure, who was currently knocking the monster down with another spinning drop kick on its face.

"Then... that is... Yuujin...being inside my body..."

 

 


	14. Team Androids - Part 3

Ruru inspected her new form in disbelief.

_How is it possible...? I am...inside Yuujin's...? An actual human body...?_

Which was fascinating, yet devastating at the same time, as she had to leave other people fighting alone in place of her.

When lowering her head in guilt, Ruru's vision happened to catch Yuujin's AppliDrive lying on the ground.

Ruru stepped back and observed the busy fight. When the timing was right, she stole a chance to swipe it and then hid herself inside the store without being seen by enemies. 

Respiring a sigh of relief, the device was now in her grasp. A bizarre chip of anthropomorphic purple wolf was pinned under its white and purple jagged ring.

"Yuujin brought this when he came for me...," Ruru murmured.

Something had to be done with this thing, so Ruru thought. Especially since it had been repeatedly voicing the same word, even before Ruru had picked it up.

_Touch...touch...touch..._

"Touch...?" reiterated Ruru. "Am I, or rather...Yuujin is supposed to touch it? But on where...?"

_If only...I can access Yuujin's mind... But, I am in human's body now. I don't possess any tools to do the analyzing..._

A voice suddenly was heard from Yuujin's blue watch. The Seven Code Band. Even though Ruru didn't know its name, but she remembered that Haru and friends also wore the same watch.

_"Yuujin! Yuujin! Can you hear me?"_

"Hana...?" Ruru recognized her housemate's voice.

_"Uhm, no, it's me, Haru. What's going on there, Yuujin? Are you alright?"_

_Haru...?_ Oh, the boy Hana was together with, to collect the mirror's materials needed to swapped the Precure and the AppliDrivers back to normal.

Ruru felt relieved that she still remembered those. She decided to answer Haru through the communication device.

"This is Ruru. Yuujin and I, somehow, also swapped bodies with each other."

 _"What!? Both of you, too?!"_ Hana―in Haru's voice―exclaimed in shock. _"But...Ruru is an Android...? How on earth―"_

_"Android...? Ruru-san is...?"_

_"Ah...n-no!"_ Hana stammered at Haru's confused voice. _"I didn't mean―"_

"It's alright, Hana. Yuujin has already been aware of this," reassured Ruru. "More importantly, because he is currently in my body, he has to fight  _Mou Oshimaida_ on his own."

_"Eh...!? Fighting against Mou Oshimaida!?"_

_"Mou Oshimaida...?"_ Gatchmon repeated in questioning tone.

"It's a monster born from human's prickly emotions," Ruru briefly disclosed.

 _"But..., but Yuujin is alright, isn't he?"_  Haru asked in haste.

"Yes, he's actually fighting the monster quite well," Ruru reported.

 _"He truly is a main character material...,"_ commented Gatchmon with a chuckle.

 

 

Still, it didn't relieve Haru thoroughly. Neither did for Hana.

"Precure are the only ones able to purify the monster. But if this is the case..." Hana mumbled.

"Hana-san, we have to go back to the store!" stated Haru. "If there's really a monster, Gatchmon can handle it!"

"Yeah! Just leave it to me!"

Hana gave the determined buddies a troubled look.

_There's no other choice. We have to tell Haru and the others. And allow them to transform into Precure._

"... Ha, Haru-kun!" Hana finally managed to bring herself to deliver a loud call for her switching partner.

"W-what is it?"

"About the monster's attack..., I think we need to warn Saaya and Homare, too! Also...," Hana inhaled first, before half-whispering, "...to ask for Eri-san and Rei-san's help..., to take over our job as Precure."

"Pre...? Cure?" spelled Haru and Gatchmon in unison.

"A-aah!! Please don't say it out loud!" Hana waved arms in panic. "It's our great secret!"

Ruru cut in through Haru's Seven Code Band.

_"I will call Emiru and Saaya's groups, to inform them about the situation."_

Hana nodded. "Thank you. It would help a lot, Ruru!"

"Hey..., what is Precure?" Haru prompted as soon as Ruru severed the connection. Gatchmon set down his magnifying glass to find out.

Hana gulped. But she knew she didn't have much time.

"Haru-kun, please listen carefully. There is..., a pink cell phone inside my skirt pocket..."

 

 

 

Up in midair, Dr. Traum was observing the clash between his monster and the robot 'girl' he thought to be Ruru, when suddenly an androgynous teenager, with platinum white hair and pale skin, appeared next to him.

"I've been looking for you," the teen said.

"Oh, if it isn't Bishin. What a surprise!"

Bishin winced at the commotion under them. "You're not fighting Precure?"

"She is Precure. Only not being in that form. You know, the one that betrayed us. Like your old acquaintance."

"Don't put Harry and that mechanical doll together," the pretty figure hissed. "I don't mind losing some doll, but I sure will take Harry back to us."

"Oh, my apologies..."

Bishin snorted, "I intended to use the device you handed me before, but you didn't give me clear instruction about how to utilize it correctly."

"I did not?" Traum looked surprised. "Even I'm getting senile these days, aren't I?"

"Just explain to me already," growled Bishin. "You said this thing could make Precure completely incapable to use their power."

"All right, all right...," Dr. Traum raised his hands in defensive gesture. "Well, it's not like all their power would go useless. Under the right condition, their power wouldn't do anything against the monster created from it..."

 

 

 

_**"FLOWER SHOOT!"** _

A stamp of giant rose dashed and smashed into Traum's monster. Yuujin-inside-Ruru spun to the direction where the sudden ambush came from.

"Cure Yell has arrived!"

This was Haru's voice, through Hana's control. The girl inside Haru's body had her hands on hips. The one she called as 'Cure Yell', wielded a Melody Sword―just like the one Cure Ange owned, and wore fancy clothes consisting midriff-revealing sleeveless pink dress with pink chiffon fabric layering its skirt, sleeve-like bands on upper arms, big white ribbon on the back, white high socks and pink shoes decorated by yellow pompom-like things on their ankles parts. Similar decorations also adorned the wrists as well.

"Yuujin! Are you all right!?" Haru 'Cure Yell' came for his friend trapped inside Ruru's body. "...Uhm, there's a lot of things happened that would explain this form, but...it's truly me, Haru!"

"Ha..ru...?" That body was standing upright, but those lips heavily moved.

"Whoa...! Did he really swap bodies with an android!?" said the wonderstruck Gatchmon beside Hana. "Though, seems that he needs some time to adjust himself. It's a human trapped inside a robot body, after all."

"Nevertheless, how this kind of thing could even happen is still incomprehensible for me," Ruru-inside-Yuujin joined Hana and Gatchmon. "This human body, too... It strangely feels normal..."

_"Mou! Oshimaida!"_

The monster, proven to be strong enough to endure Flower Shoot, came back for the defenseless Haru and Yuujin.

"Haru! Look out!" Gatchmon hollered.

**_"FEATHER BLAST!"_ **

Another magical assault hindered the poor monster.

Hana looked above and cheered, "It's Cure Ange!"

Haru took the chance to retreat himself and Yuujin from the clash, joining Hana and the others near the store's front. At the same time, Astra-Emiru team also had just come back, bringing along a copper plate as part of the mirror's materials.

"Ruru!" Emiru left Astra to tackle and hug the tall girl by Haru's side. "Thank goodness you are alright!"

"Ehm, Emiru...?" Ruru-inside-Yuujin raised her hand. "I'm here...."

Releasing her hug, Emiru turned to the voice source, and then back at Yuujin-inside-Ruru, alternatively.

"Aahh! This is Yuujin-san, isn't it? I am most sorry!"

"Yoo! Eri!" Astra beamed at the sight of his friend, but soon realizing his mistake. "Ah! My bad! I forgot that you're not..."

Saaya-inside-Eri chuckled. "Eri-san is the current Cure Ange."

"Eri-chan, so cool!" Dokamon's eyes brimmed with admiration.

Eri 'Cure Ange' landed heroically on the ground. Shooting a glance at Haru, Hana, and the others, she respired in relief for their temporary well being.

"Still, acccording to Saaya-chan, we need Cure Ange, Cure Yell, and Cure Etoile to perform a finisher," muttered Eri to herself. "Cure Etoile is Homare-chan. But there's no way _that_ Rei is willing to transform into magical—"

"HAAAAAAA!"

One drop kick performed by a yellow high heel, impacted squarely against the monster's face, knocking it completely to the ground. The kicker wore a blue scarf, an orange short dress with light yellow ruffles, and long shawls on shoulders to form its sleeves. Even without the makeup that had been applied, the outfit and hair styled in starry high ponytail had already provided a more mature look compared to Cure Ange or Cure Yell.

The new ally settled beside Eri, and spoke in some bossy tone that sounded too familiar for her.

"Let's finish this."

Eri choked in astonishment, "You are...Rei...? Cure Etoile...?"

Homare-inside-Rei also just arrived, mingling with Hana and the others. She yelled firmly at her switching partner.

"Don't you dare to mess this!"

Rei 'Cure Etoile' snorted, and turned to Eri. "What was the attack called...? Trinity Concert?"

Getting over her bewilderment, Eri nodded in affirmation. She called over Haru to team up with her and Rei, and perform their finishing attack.

Haru put Yuujin on his feet alone, before heading to the battle ground. The boy in robotic body still had hard time understanding what was happening around. But he knew the one that just released his hand was his very best friend.

"Ruru-san, please take care of Yuujin."

The girl in Yuujin's body subsided, before nodding head to Haru. "Please, leave it to me."

 

 

 

"Mirai Crystal!" The three shouted as they called upon a set of similar crystals like the ones they used for their transformations. Only this time, the crystals' colors were darker, and were inserted into their Melody Swords instead of the PreHearts.

"Yell Tact!"

"Ange Harp!"

"Etoile Flute!"

Upon the recitations of each Melody Sword's real name, the magic weapons were now capable to sound those musical instruments that their names bore. Waving Yell Tact called for an orchestral trumpet. Fondling Ange Harp echoed the calming sounds of plucked strings. And last, blowing Etoile Flute through its handle, filled the air with the sweet melody of a wind instrument.

"Be free! Thorns of the heart!" Aiming their swords at the fallen monsters, the three shouted once more. Combining their power.

**" _PRECURE! TRINITY CONCERT!"  
_**

The shout sent a giant white orb of energy streaming towards their enemy. Enveloping it into a tall, effulgent blooming tree. The monster uttered its resignation, and then disappeared into thin air. The woman whose Toge Power had been used to create the monster was alright, despite her loss of consciousness.

But Dr. Traum, the one who's responsible for the monster, was not anywhere to be seen.

 

 

 


	15. Bishin's Scheme

"Ahh..., I wish I could transform too like you all...," sighed Astra-inside-Emiru, crossing arms behind his head.

Sitting around in Hugtan's comfortable bedroom, he and the others were waiting for Rei and his newly captured Craftmon to built a new mirror for Mirrormon.

"I would totally feel to defeat enemies using music, like Musimon usually does!"

"Well, ya may be able to turn into Cure Macherie, if ya do the transformation with Ruru―ah, I mean...Yuujin..."

"Seriously!?" beamed Astra at Harry-inside Hugtan for the latter's disclosure.

"But Yuujin doesn't seem to be in condition to fight...," Ruru observed her switching partner, sitting meekly between the concerned Offmon and Haru-inside-Hana.

"I'm okay now. Don't worry," Yuujin-inside-Ruru said with a smile on, in effort to soothe his friends.

"But, according to Ruru, Yuujin-san had gotten the upper hand against the monster even before we came, and even without transforming into Cure Amour...," Emiru pointed out.

"It's because he's in a robot's body," Gatchmon looked through his magnifying glass at Ruru's figure, where they believed Yuujin's consciousness resided in. "Just like when you human enter the AR Field. The reason Yuujin can live inside Ruru's android body may be because his consciousness was turned into data."

"Still..., it doesn't explain why Yuujin could fight the monster so well, considering he barely even remembered anything happened during the fight," Eri wondered.

"I guess," Saaya rationalized. "When Yuujin-kun still not fully gained consciousness, it's Ruru's original programming that fought the monster. The computer that acts according to its algorithms and judgements, without needing a heart."

"And the one who's taking Yuujin-kun's place in his body right now is Ruru's real heart!" finished Hana blithely. "Right? Because Ruru isn't just android anymore, but an android with human heart like us!"

Ruru smiled shyly at the remark. "Yuujin also said the same thing earlier."

Nevertheless, her smile soon dissolved.

"Is there something wrong?" the worried Emiru touched Ruru's arm.

Ruru glanced at her best friend, and spoke in hesitation, "Before Yuujin and I got switched, I tried to fight the monster alone. Yet, it didn't go as expected."

"Well, anyone may fail sometimes. Don't think too much about it, Ruru!" cheered Hana.

"But, if Saaya's deduction was right, that my heart had left my body during the fight..., then...," Ruru clenched her fist above her chest. "...instead of myself, it was actually 'me without heart' who's capable to take down the monster efficiently, wasn't it? Is that mean...I'm getting weaker, because I already developed a heart...? Would I protect everyone better if I didn't count on the existence of heart...?"

Silence lingered around the room for a while.

"Of course not!" denied Emiru in dismay. "Ruru is the Precure of Love. Ruru cares and saves a lot of people, either as Precure or Ruru herself. And that would only happen because Ruru has gained a real heart! Therefore, there is no way that Ruru is getting weaker!"

"Besides," Harry on Saaya's lap added on. "The reason why yer taken down by that monster, was because yer worried about Yuujin and got yer attention distracted. If ya hadn't interfered, who knew what worse would have happened."

"Precure are strong beings, not because how hard their punches hit," continued Saaya. "That kindness of Ruru's is also a true form of strength."

"Yeah! Strength is not just about defeating _Mou Oshimaida_!" determined Hana.

Eri shifted her gaze at Dokamon, who smiled back at her widely. "For me, the real strength is when you can make someone smile, after going through a hard time yourself!"

"Or when you follow the path according to exactly how you're really feeling!" Astra winked at Musimon.

"Or when you give up everything to protect your friends," Yuujin reached for Offmon by his side.

"Or when you take a step forward to become the hero, even though you always thought that you wouldn't become one!" added Haru in cherishing manner, which Gatchmon proudly nodded at.

"...Or when you accept the fact that you are weak when being alone," another voice interposed. "And thus, cherishing those who have saved you from loneliness."

It was Rei, standing by the room's door.

Hackmon and Homare trailed him coming in, and joining the others.

Beforehand, the young hacker had deliberately asked Homare to appliarise Craftmon outside the store, to avoid the Design App Appmon spilling the beans about how they managed to make him willing to work for them.

"I never thought, that you could express some gentle remark like that," teased Homare.

Rei snorted.

"Craftmon has completed the mirror," Hackmon reported, attracting everyone's focus on him.

"Now, we just need to find Mirrormon's whereabouts," Rei turned to Gatchmon.

"Okay! Leave it to me!"

The search engine Appmon set down the magnifying glass on his helmet to his left eyes.

"He is..., huh...? Wait a second...," Gatchmon gasped. "He's coming here!"

"Here? You mean the shop's AR Field?" asked Haru, eyes huge.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Hana stood up, full of enthusiasm. "Let's dive in to the AR Field and take back the mirror!"

"No. From now on, it's our job," Rei asserted.

"Ehh...!?" Hana exclaimed in disappointment.

Haru followed, "I'm sorry, Hana-san. But, Rei-kun is right. We can't involve you and you friends any further."

"But we are Precure!" Emiru butted in to insist. "We are capable enough to fight like Musimon and the others, in case we have to!"

Haru put on troubled face. "...That's not the problem―"

Haru's reasoning was interrupted by an abrupt quake shaking the store. Hana and Gatchmon got straight off stumbled, for they were standing during the very first quake. Rei managed to got himself and his buddy a hold of a pillar. So did Homare. Dokamon and Offmon clung to their buddies, reaching for reassurance.

After the shake subsided, a shrill voice echoed from outside the store.

"Come on out, Precure! Today I will bring Harry back to me!"

"That voice...," Homare whispered.

"It's Bishin...," Harry drawled.

"What? What happened!?" asked Eri frantically.

"If you don't come out willingly, then I will make you do...," Bishin tempted. "Go destroy this ugly store! _Mou Oshimaida!_ "

"STOP!" Hana-inside-Haru dashed downstairs to outside, facing the unexpected guests.

Bishin lifted their eyebrow at the 'boy' they didn't recognize.

"A customer...?"

"I won't let you destroy our store!" yelped Hana, both arms spread in defense.

"'Our'...?" Bishin winced deeper. "Did Harry just hire an errand boy? Well, whatever. Precure! If you don't show up soon, I will―"

"We're here!"

Bishin snorted _, "._..That's quite a time you took."

According to Bishin's vision, the Precure―'Saaya', 'Emiru', and 'Ruru'―all were racing outside, exclaiming their arrival. 'Hana' followed behind, asking in confused tone.

"Wait...! Everyone, what are you going to―?"

"It's not that I don't understand your feeling, Haru...," Yuujin-inside-Ruru replied without shifting his gaze from his soon-to-be opponents―Bishin and their eagle-like monster.

"But in this situation, Precure are the only ones who can defeat that creature," stated Eri-inside-Saaya. "You sure know that we _are_  those Precure. At least for this time being."

"That's true, but..." Haru hesitated.

"Hey, I don't want to return to my body without knowing how magical girl transformation feels like," Astra-inside-Emiru chimed.

"...It felt horrible," Rei-inside-Homare responded without tone. "Yet it seems that I have no option but to leave Mirrormon to them for now..."

Rei took off his Seven Code Band and threw it backwards, causing it to land inside Homare's open palms. Ruru, Emiru, and Saaya already had theirs lended by Yuujin and the others'.

"You too, Rei-kun!?" gasped Haru.

"If Hackmon and the others guide them to reason with Mirrormon, I think it won't be a problem."

Homare approached and whispered to Rei. "Bishin is dangerous. You have to be careful."

The young hacker answered with a nonchalant murmur.

"After all, these girls are not ordinary girls, Haru. They're magical girls!" reminded Gatchmon, who had reverted to his chip form to avoid Bishin's suspicion. "I bet they are strong, even without transforming."

Haru didn't have time to mull over anything as Bishin hollered in anger, "What are you waiting for? Just get transformed so I can kick your asses and bring Harry back to me!"

"...Say..., are you Harry's friend?" Astra questioned Bishin to buy time. "Friends aren't supposed to do things like bringing monster to wreck their houses, you know?"

"Friends...?" Bishin snapped, eyes flashing. "We are much more than that! Because Harry's one and only rightful place is always by my side!"

"Well, that's not how Harry-san sees you, it seems...," Eri shrugged. "But you're right. We, the Precure, must transform right now."

Haru-inside-Hana put his Seven Code Band and AppliDrive on the ground. Hana nodded to the boy to indicate, that he could trust her with those devices. Haru then brought out Hana's Preheart and settled himself beside Rei.

It's a good thing that Haru, Eri, and Rei had not handed back their transformation devices yet.

Back when Hana had just dashed out the store to distract Bishin, Yuujin and Astra had managed to receive both Prehearts and Mirai Crystals from Ruru and Emiru, in exchange for their AppliDrives and Seven Code Bands. Hence, briefly knowing what they had to do to trigger their duo transformation.

"I hope this will really work...," Yuujin muttered quietly.

"You bet it will!" Astra patted the older boy's shoulder, widely grinning.

"Let's go! Everyone!" Eri exclaimed, as the one who was standing at the center of the group. " ** _Mirai Crystal! Heart Kiratto!_** "

 

 

"Let's come in!" Gatchmon turned to Hana and Homare. "We're going to open the portal from inside the store."

 

 

 

**"Embracing the bright future!"**

The AppliDrivers shouted in unison, before introducing the names of Hana and friends' alter egos.

 **"Cheering for everyone. Precure of Spirit, Cure Yell!"** stated Haru, trying his best to cover his sheepish blushes.

 **"Healing everyone! Precure of Wisdom! Cure Ange!"** Eri thrust her fist forwards in confidence.

 **"Shining upon everyone. Precure of Power, Cure Etoile,"** sighed Rei, hoping it would end soon.

 **"Loving everyone! Precure of Love!"** Astra and Yuujin must deliver their appellation together before mentioning the Precure's names.

 **"Cure MaCherie!"** yelled Astra, striking his trademark pose.

 **"Cure Amour,"** Yuujin completed.

Gathering to strike impulsively made-up poses, they ended up unconsciously closing their introduction with a newly named group.

**" _Apptto!_ Precure!"**

 

 


	16. Apptto! Precure in Action - Part 1

**"Embracing the bright future!"**

**"Cheering for everyone. Precure of Spirit, Cure Yell!"**

**"Healing everyone! Precure of Wisdom! Cure Ange!"**

**"Shining upon everyone. Precure of Power, Cure Etoile."**

**"Loving everyone! Precure of Love!"**

**"Cure MaCherie!"**

**"Cure Amour."**

 

 **"** _**Apptto!** _ **Precure!"**

 

 

 

"Eh? ' _Apptto!_ '?" Eri 'Cure Ange' blinked soon after.

"Is it supposed to be 'Hugtto'?" Haru 'Cure Yell' tilted his head.

"Well, it's sorta lame, but we _are_ the AppliDrivers that turn into Precure. Shortened to App-To-Precure," reasoned Astra 'Cure MaCherie'. "I guess...."

"Not just 'sorta lame'. It's _absolutely_ lame...," Rei 'Cure Etoile' huffed.

Bishin put on a bored face. "Your new group name won't do anything to help you. In this battle, I'm gonna―"

"Cure Amour. Precure of Love, huh...," Yuujin inspected his new appearance. "The name gives a nice ring, I would say."

"This outfit is kinda embarrassing, though...," Haru shyly admitted. "Kind of too bright and cheerful for me..."

"...I'm going to―"

"Why do you think so? You look great in pink, Haru!" argued Yuujin in admiration. "Pink is also the color of main heroes, isn't it? It really suits you!"

"What are you talking about, Yuujin? You should see yourself in a mirror. You even look much cuter than anyone!" returned Haru earnestly.

"Ah! Haru's right!" Eri butted in, looking a bit flustered. "Why do Tora and Yuujin's attires look fancier than the rest of us in the first place?"

MaCherie and Amour duo did look distinguished compared to others. Dominating in red and purple shades respectively, the dresses consisted white frills decorating their layered skirts lined with their partners' colors. The back of their skirts were styled in coattail-like design made from three fabrics with different lengths and shades of their theme colors. Cure Amour's sleeves reached mid lower arms, while baring the shoulders' parts. On the other hand, MaCherie's sleeves were short and covered the shoulders entirely. As for the shoes, their laced high heel boots nodded to their respective theme colors. Amour's boots almost fully sheathed the black thigh socks underneath them. MaCherie wore a pair of thigh-length white socks, while the boots only reached the knees. Their accessories included puffball earrings, gloves, and frilled ribbons on their elongated and brightened hair.

"I heard that Cure MaCherie and Amour's outfit theme is 'Idol'," Yuujin clarified. "Cure Yell is cheerleader, Ange is nurse, and Etoile is cabin attendant."

"―going to demolish―"

"If that's the case, idol should be my theme too, right!?" Eri pouted in annoyance.

"Good point. Nurse-themed Precure of Wisdom doesn't suit Eri at all!"

"Right? This isn't decent for―"

Just when Eri realized that Astra was actually making fun of her, Bishin yelled furiously, "Stop ignoring me, Precure! _Mou Oshimaida,_ give those obnoxious girls proper lesson!"

_"Oshi!"_

The avian monster took off to deliver a downward thrust. The AppliDrivers jumped at the right moment to dodge. Though in Haru's case, it's more like being blown off by the impact, due to his lack of athletic skill. At least he managed to land on his feet, instead of his head.

"Are you alright? Haru?" Eri frantically asked.

"Ye-yeah...," responded Haru in stammer. _I have to get the hang of this..._

"You're mine!" roared Bishin, indicating Cure Yell. The monster went to fulfill its master's wish by dashing to Yell, baring its talons.

Haru awkwardly called his weapon. "Me-Melody Sword!"

A wink from Cure Amour.

**_"Amour Rock n' Roll!"_ **

Barrage of purple hearts ambushed the monster's side head, made Haru cease to fire Yell's special move. Turning to the source of the attack, Haru found Yuujin standing in some pose of strumming a red guitar.

"Yuujin! How did you do that!?" demanded Astra in marvel.

"I...," Yet, Yuujin looked confused himself. "I guess, Ruru-san's programming that told me..., to call for this Twin Love Guitar...?"

In such brief moment, there was Rei who reacted silently at Yuujin's hesitant words.

_Ruru Amour is an android, an advanced one coming from the future, even. Yet Oozora Yuujin is able to utilizes her abilities naturally... Is it really because he's turned into data, like any human inside the AR Field..., or maybe..._

"Don't you think this is over yet!" Bishin called for another attack. This time, the monster aimed for MaCherie and Amour. " _Mou Oshimaida_!"

_"Oshi!"_

**_"Flower Shoot!"_** Haru returned the favor Yuujin had given him.

 ** _"Dokkan Punch!"_** Eri's straight punch was followed by Rei's hammer kick, doubling the physical impact the monster had to suffer.

"Ugh...! I want to unleash some magical beam too!" grumbled Astra. "Yuujin, teach me!"

"E-even if you say so...," Yuujin put on troubled face.

Thanks to Yuujin having mentioned the weapon's name, Astra was able to manifest his own Twin Love Guitar by calling its name.

"Ooh...!" Astra whooped in amazement. "I would so totally feel this! Yuujin, what should I say to do the magic?"

The younger boy's pestering made Yuujin give up. He closed his eyes, trying to reach anything that Astra 'Cure MaCherie' needed to know.

" _MaCherie Poppin'_...," Yuujin spelled. "It's MaCherie Poppin', Astra! Try it!"

"Poppin' huh? Okay! Leave it to me!"

Astra started his attack by strumming the guitar once, summoning a group of red hearts which became his springboards to hook another red heart, sole in number, but giant in size.

 ** _"MaCherie Poppin'!"_** Astra thrust his finger down, sending the giant heart right at the creature's gaping beak.

 _"O-oshi...!"_ It couldn't help but swallowing the heart, and getting subsided by it.

"Eh...?" Astra's eyes shrunk into a pair of dots for _Oshimaida_ 's mundane reaction.

"It...," Eri couldn't find the word to describe what the monster had done.

"It burbed...," completed Haru.

"Uhm..., it usually works this way, though?" Yuujin admitted.

"I didn't know magical girls' attacks were edible...," whispered Rei.

Overcoming his stunned state of mind, Astra utterly complained. "Hey! This isn't what I should be feeling―"

Bishin sneered, aiming their bandaged arms at the AppliDrivers. The white bandages extended to reach and bundle all of them into one tight bind.

"What!?"

"Hey!"

The AppliDrivers contended for freedom. But before they managed to utilize their Precure super strength, the avian monster took off, changed its talons into a huge bird cage and trapped the restricted heroes inside.

The bandages released them. Yet, because of the cage's narrow bars, they were still restricted to go anywhere.

"Hey! Open this cage and let us go!" hollered Eri behind the bars.

"Why don't you try to destroy it yourself?" Bishin tempted.

"...Fine, then, you asked for it!" Eri pointed her Melody Sword upwards and exclaimed, _**"Feather Blast!"**_

Bird feathers burst to the cage ceiling, yet didn't even leave a scratch. Haru and Yuujin did the same with their own magical attacks, this time to the bars. The cage still stood fine. Astra and Rei physically attacked the bars to no avail.

"Why doesn't anything work?" Astra gusted a tired sigh.

"How does my monster's terrifying ability taste, Precure? Because of you all attacking this monster earlier, it gained your data and made itself immune to any of your Precure attacks!" Bishin disclosed with a contempt laugh.

"No way...," Haru breathed.

Bishin satisfiedly smirked and turned their back to the AppliDrivers.

"Now, it's time to take back what is mine..."

A five-pointed giant yellow star spun rapidly like a _shuriken_ dashing out of nowhere. It stabbed the ground firmly, blocking Bishin's way to Beauty Harry shop.

"You're not going anywhere," said Rei, whose Etoile Flute had given birth to the star, thin and fast enough to escape the narrow bars and reach Bishin.

" ** _Huuh_**!?" Bishin leered dangerously and spun around to the boy they thought to be the real Cure Etoile. "You haven't learned from my lesson, haven't you?"

"I feel no need to learn anything from you," returned Rei coldly.

Bishin grinded teeth.

"Stop interfering between me and Harry!"

Reflecting Bishin's thundering scream was the teen's arms thrusting forward. Bandages wildly stretched into the cage, carving for Rei's captivity. Yet instead of letting himself being bounded again, Rei caught the elongating bandages and yanked them along with Bishin. The white-haired teen ended up painfully running against the bars that separated them and the captured AppliDrivers.

"You little―!" Bishin's cursing was terminated by Etoile Flute's tip being forced between their lips.

"This attack may not work against your monster," Rei breathed right in front of Bishin's face, draped by the cage bars. "But I wonder how it would work against the inside of your mouth?"

"Hmmpp...!" Bishin struggled to free either their gagged mouth, or their restricted arms. But Rei was seizing the bandages tightly, and everytime Bishin tried to move their head backward, Rei would thrust Etoile Flute deeper.

"Don't you think...this has already gone too far...?" said Astra, kind of feeling sorry for Bishin.

"Rei! This is not how magical girls battle is supposed to be!" protested Eri.

Rei clicked his tongue at his friends' naivety. "If we can't defeat the monster, we have to eliminate the one that controls it!"

"That's true, but..."

"Yuujin, what are you doing?"

Haru's questioning tone was brought to Rei, Astra, and Eri's attentions. The three turned their heads to find Yuujin's back and his seemingly effort to pull the narrow bars apart.

"Making...bigger space... for us to escape..."

"But Precure's power shouldn't work against this cage," cautioned Eri. "How do you..."

Yuujin breathed out, released the bars, turned to his friends, and grinned.

"I did it..."

 

 

 

"I see...! It's true that Precure powers don't work against the cage, but the monster isn't immune to Ruru-san's android super strength," concluded Haru.

"Good thinking, Yuujin!" Astra gave a thumb up.

"But, what shall we do…to _that_ guy...?" Eri turned her head at Bishin who were still stuck to the cage bars for Rei refused to let the teen go.

"Rei-kun!" Haru called.

"We have to get out from here!" continued Yuujin. Haru and the others had completely abandoned the cage, but the boy inside Cure Amour's figure was still standing between the pulled apart bars, waiting for Rei to join them out of the cage.

Rei shifted his glance back at Bishin.

"Tell us how to get rid of the monster!"

Bishin spewed a spit to ground, once Rei had pulled Etoile Flute out of them.

"Even I can't do anything," they answered mockingly. "Precure's finisher is all needed."

"You're lying," Rei hissed.

"I'm not," countered Bishin. "Even if you kill me now, this monster will still run amok..., like this...!"

Bishin kicked the cage hard, and the monster hollered in pain as the cage was basically its leg. The cage had its bars connected to each other by their lowermost ends, instead of being rooted to the ground. Therefore, when the avian monster took off, Rei and Bishin― connected by the latter's bandages―were also swept off ground, dangling on the flying cage's horizontal bar.

"Rei!" exclaimed Eri and Astra at their friend being swayed around by the wind.

 **"Flower Shoot!"** Haru launched his rose-themed attack. But, just like before, the monster did not even flinch.

Still, as expected from Rei. Amidst the strong wind, he managed to cut the bandages linking him and Bishin together, by using Etoile Flute's Star Slash. Though both landed on their feet safely, they silently exchanged cold stares.

The monster flew aimlessly without Bishin's command and almost ran into the shop. Yuujin leapt and sunk punches at the monster's face, holding its rampage for a while.

"We need a new finisher to defeat it," told Rei, rolling eyes at Bishin. "At least, that's what they said."

 

"Yuujin, are you alright there?" Haru raised his voice to reach his best friend dealing with the monster alone.

"Yeah, somehow...," Yuujin replied in midair, dodging and kicking down the monster's beak trying to devour him.

"No matter how strong that android is, my monster can't be deleted only by physical attack," Bishin snickered.

Rei scrambled to Bishin, intending to drag the obnoxious teen into a hand-to-hand combat. Bishin escaped into midair, only to get targeted by Eri's Dokkan Punch coming for their head. Taken aback, the teen barely managed to evade. The air pressure from Eri's blow created a small cut on Bishin's left cheek. But it was no Eri if she was satisfied with sending a single attack. Her left fist had prepared another thrust. This time, coming for the opponent’s stomach. But…

"You're good," Bishin panted. The last punch from Eri got blocked inside their palm, failing to reach the target just by a few centimeters.

Eri winced. Bishin's sharp claws dug through her skin, but her policy was to never stop attacking. Considering one of her hands captured, she lifted her right leg, hoping to smash the teen’s head through a high kick. Realizing the danger of Eri’s blow, Bishin released the girl’s fist and dodged away.

What Bishin didn’t calculate was Haru, Rei, and Astra having unleashed Flower Shoot, Star Slash, and MaCherie Poppin', all simultaneously. So, even though the teen managed to get through some, they would still be hit by another. MaCherie Poppin's giant heart was the most difficult to evade, which finally brought the teen down to the ground.

"I did it!" Astra  instantly beamed in cheer at his successful attack.

Hobbling to stand up, Bishin hissed like a cornered snake. “Don’t get so full of yourselves, Precure...”

Despite once grunting in pain, those lips now smirked resolutely. Bishin made some gestures, as if to release those bandages restricting their left arm.

_Bishin, this is not the time!_

One voice suddenly resonated through their mind. Sobering, the teen huffed. They jumped into midair and delivered their last warning, before teleporting away.

"It's just matter of time for you to get flattened by my monster. Taste the despair of rejected hearts, Precure!"

 

 

 


	17. Apptto! Precure in Action - part 2

_This is not the time!_

One voice resonated through Bishin's mind. Sobering, the teen huffed. They jumped into midair and delivered their last warning, before teleporting away.

"It's just matter of time for you to get flattened by my monster. Taste the despair of rejected hearts, Precure!"

 

 

 

Bishin made it to Criase Corp building in seconds. Some pants escaped them, but they at least could assure their own safety in this office of theirs.

"Though honestly, I really wanted to witness those girls' doom with my own eyes," Bishin frantically bit their thumb nail, before finally stopping to ponder. "Maybe it was just me, but... today's Precure...felt kinda off...?"

Some heavy steps approached, resonating through the dark, long corridor. Bishin turned to whoever coming.

"Thank you for helping me testing the machine, Bishin," Dr. Traum put a hand on chest as his grateful gesture. "But you know you're not allowed to use your full power yet. Besides, the ones you were fighting earlier, were not the real Precure."

Bishin's eyes went huge, "They're not? What do you mean!? If that's so, where are the real Precure?!"

Dr. Traum shook his head in shame. "Always being in rush, aren't you?"

"I am asking you, Doc!"

Traum gave a wise smile. "Unfortunately, I haven't concluded anything yet. Some test must be applied. Therefore, in the mean time, I wish you to not bother those girls, or people around them."

"People around them?" repeated Bishin, eyes squinted.

"Yes. For this time being, all right?"

 

 

 

"Despair?" Rei snorted. "I'm so used to that word, to the point I got bored."

"If that's the only thing this monster's got, then it must not be such a big deal," Eri cracked her knuckles' joints.

"Let's do things our way, then!" Astra stroke his trademark pose. "The way that we're feeling."

Haru nodded at his friends' spirit.

"For starter, let's evacuate Hugtan and Harry-san from the shop so that Yuujin can fight without holding back!"

"Right!"

Haru and the others jumped into the shop through its window. After a while, 'Cure Ange' and 'Cure Etoile' were seen leaving out the window, carrying 'Hugtan' and 'Harry' respectively, before hiding themselves deep into a forest nearby. Haru and Astra were also about to depart. But instead of trailing Rei and the others, they had to settle on top of the roof, because of a scene that made their hearts as if escaping their chests.

The avian monster spat some of lavender locks that got stuck between its beaks. However, the tall figure of the hair's owner, 'Cure Amour', was nowhere to be seen. Nowhere. 

One possible explanation. That creature had just succeeded in keeping Yuujin as whole inside its throat. 

"We-we've got to help him!"

Astra almost scrambled to the monster, had Haru not stopped him by grabbing his coattail skirt and causing the younger boy to stumble on the tilted roof.

"Hold it, Astra-kun!" Haru gazed at the monster.

Rubbing his red nose, Astra followed Haru's eyes to find a red line slowly appearing and circling around its throat. The line got thicker and more apparent, before that creature suddenly choked and shrilled in pain. The next moment was Yuujin 'Cure Amour' slipping out from between the sliced throat.

Astra gasped and gaped at the same time, while Haru just gusted a sigh of relief.

Drenched in the monster's body liquid, Yuujin landed deftly on ground. The severed head fell by his side with a 'bam'.

"Wha...what was that about...?" Astra stuttered.

"Ruru-san was really a well-made android..., I guess...," was the answer Haru could come up with. He himself then jumped down towards his best friend, asking, "Yuujin, you okay?"

Uselessly trying to wipe off the sticky dirt on him, Yuujin nodded in dry smile. "The blood isn't harmful, it seems. Just kinda smelly. You'd rather not to be near me for now."

Astra caught up to the other boys.

"Yuck..., gross...," he winced in disgust at the monster's remaining, before turning to Haru and Yuujin. "But Emiru said, every damage should be nullified once Precure's finisher purifies it... Uh...? What's wrong, guys?"

Astra noticed that both Haru and Yuujin were gaping their mouths to something behind his back.

"T-The monster..." Haru barely managed to stammer out.

"It's still alive..." completed Yuujin.

Literally headless, that creature roamed to the boys.

"Doesn't this thing know how to die already!?" Astra screamed while jumping around to dodge. It turned out that the monster didn't really aim for them. It's just flying randomly as if being blindfolded. The head itself had stopped moving once it touched the ground.

An idea flashed through Haru's mind.

"Yuujin! Can you cut off its wings? We have to at least get rid of its mobility!"

Yuujin glanced at the soaring monster, before nodding. "I will try."

So Yuujin did a flip and landed on the monster's back. Once there, he heated both of his index fingers' tips, and as fast as a twin swords wielder, he used the heat as an invisible knife to slice its flesh.

The torn wings dropped and the parts where they were severed off spilled its body liquid to Haru and Astra down below. Yuujin gasped.

"S-sorry..., Haru and Astra! I didn't mean to―"

"Yuujin! You're going to fall!" hollered Astra, ignoring his own condition, for now.

"Get off there! Yuujin!"

The monster, losing its ability to fly, rushed down to earth while having Yuujin rode on it. Considering the situation, Yuujin decided to abandon the monster. But because he still didn't want it to crash the ground and create more mess around the store, he landed before the monster did and caught it neatly on his palms.

Yuujin respired in relief.

Having no limb to help itself moving around, the monster barely managed to stir a struggle. Even its legs which were the only limbs that were still attached to his body couldn't do much as they were completely stuck into having the cage used to capture Precure earlier as their base part.

"We can't purify it now. But if only we could at least tie it up..." Haru's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Keeping the monster above his head, Yuujin realized something was missing. "Hey, where's Astra?"

"Eh? Astra-kun?" Haru looked around at Yuujin's question. "You're right! Where's he?"

"I'm back!" Astra announced. Something in his hands.

"Where did you get those ropes?" asked Yuujin surprised.

"They keep a lot at the backyard," Astra threw a roll of rope to Haru. He then turned to Yuujin while preparing another roll for himself.

"Hold the monster still, Yuujin! Don't worry, this won't take long! I know some useful knots from my English mother. She was once a Scout in her youth."

 

 

"What..."

"...are you guys doing?"

Eri and Rei came back to find their comrades busily tying up a lump of flesh which had a bird cage as its foot, to a large tree near the shop. Sticky liquid tainted their beautiful dresses and makeups, and even their surrounding. Harry-inside-Hugtan who's in Eri's arms, and even Hugtan-inside-Harry who's on the Rei's back, clinging on his neck, also blinked at the scenery.

"Ooh! Eri! Rei! You're back, huh!?" greeted Astra. He just finished his assigned job.

"Ugh..., where have you been, Tora? You smell awful!" Eri's nose wrinkled at the sticky liquid drenching the young Apptuber.

"We're back as soon as we figured out that ya both didn't come after us," Harry explained. "What happened here? My store is no different than a murder site!"

"Well, you're not thoroughly wrong. It's that creature's...blood...," admitted Astra. "Right, Haru?"

Haru also just finished his part, and showed himself from behind the tied monster.

"Yuujin had to slice off the monster's head and wings, so we could at least immobilize it like this before we find some way to purify it."

"He did... what...?" Eri shuddered at the explanation.

"And where is the new 'monster' that succeeded in mutilating the old one?" Rei glanced around for Yuujin.

"Eri-san, Rei, Harry and Hugtan too, welcome back!" The one whose voice happily greeted them, waved his stained hand from above the tree. He jumped down to join the others.

"Yuujin..., ugh!" Eri pinned her nose. "You even smell worse than Tora!"

"Hey! He had to cut that creature from inside its throat, to escape its gastric acid. It can't be helped," Astra defended.

Eri covered her mouth for almost throwing up. While Rei...just coldly watched the boy rubbing the back of his head in apology.

"Cutting off its wings was actually Haru's idea, though," Yuujin confessed. "But as you can see, it's...kinda still alive, even though it has lost some of its body parts."

"So that Bishin wasn't just bluffing about this creature's endurance, huh?" Rei muttered.

"Can we just purify it now?" Eri sighed. "I begin to feel sorry for it."

"Yeah, me too," echoed Astra.

"Still..., neither our finishers would work...," Haru deplored.

Yuujin nodded. "Its ability is to gain data of every Precure who has attacked it at least once, including all their magic powers and moves, and then create perfect immunity against those."

That explanation gave Harry an idea. "Hey! How about using Mirai Pad to attack? That may work!"

"Mirai Pad?" repeated the others.

"Hagyuu!" Hugtan remarked from behind Rei's back as if agreeing with Harry.

A door-shaped, pink computer tablet abruptly appeared through a bursting bubble of light.

The tablet hovered into Haru's hands. "What's this?"

"That's Mirai Pad. This is never done by Hana..., I mean, Cure Yell and the others before. But if I'm not mistaken, this has somethin' to do with Precure's finisher attack," Harry said in fast tone. "Everyone, say 'Mirai Pad, open'!"

Strangely, before the AppliDrivers followed the instruction, Mirai Pad's screen shone on its own, as though being called upon by Harry.

"It can't be..." Harry drawled in very soft whisper. "Because I'm in Hugtan's body, it reacted to her voice...?"

"Hey, what's happening to this thing?" wondered Astra.

"Hana―I mean―Haru! Let me have that for a sec!"

"O-okay..."

Harry took over Mirai Pad and witnessed how the tablet's upper part, which contained an opening used to insert Mirai Crystal, was glowing as if inviting him to put one.

"But I still need the Mirai Crystal White..." murmured Harry more like towards himself. "How can I..."

"Hagyuu!" Hugtan exclaimed, eyes locked at Harry.

Harry looked back at the baby girl inside his own figure, before nodding in determination.

Just like how Mirai Pad came for them. A clear, heart-shaped crystal materialized out of a bubble of light, and came to Harry.

"Okay, then. Let's try this!" He declared, holding the Mirai Crystal up.

"Try what...?" Yuujin cocked his head.

"A purifier that the monster doesn't have any data of, because y'all have never perform it before!"

"So there is still one?" Haru beamed.

"That's why we have to try this first..."

Eri helped inserting the white crystal and put Harry on ground by the 'baby''s demand.

"Mirai Pad, open!"

Upon Harry's chant using Hugtan's voice, Mirai Pad's screen produced five bubbles of light, each hovering towards the AppliDrivers' open palms and producing a new Mirai Crystal.

The one manifesting on Haru's palm was crimson-colored with shape of a five-sided diamond. Eri earned a teal crystal in shape of a four-pointed star. Astra obtained a shimmering golden one. Its square shape resembled that of a musical sharp notation. Yuujin was holding a silvery, crescent moon-shaped crystal. Rei's was navy blue in color, while being barbed quatrefoil in shape.

Each crystal had tiny circle ornament on its center, and kind of metallic platform under it, that also could be seen as its lining. The shade of the platform was a bit lighter than the crystal itself.

"Now what do we do with these?" Astra asked in anticipation.

"Use the crystals to attack using your weapons and concentrate them into this Mirai Pad," instructed Harry.

"Eh, attack the tablet? But what if we end up breaking it? It's an important artifact, isn't it?" doubted Eri.

"This Mirai Crystal White actually had its power drained empty before. But if it's functioned to gather your powers and turn them into a brand new purifier, it probably will work out somehow," explained Harry. "Since the monster has already gained data of your original attacks, you have to call your attacks with different names."

"But...what names should we call?" Yuujin lifted his gaze off the crystal.

"To be honest, I'm quite bad at naming...," admitted Haru sheepishly.

"I know what my finishing move should be called!" Astra clapped his hands. Inserting the golden crystal into his Twin Love Guitar, he stroke some poses with it, before shouting confidently. _**"MACHERIE MELOS!!"**_

As Astra had expected, the chant produced beams of ribbon-like musical staves, resembling Entermon's Portee Melos. The notes attached to the staves, all had heart shape as their heads.

"Whoah! I'm so totally feeling this move!" said the boy happily.

Eri flourished her weapon.

"Nice going, Tora! Combining Precure's attack with your buddy's finishing move," Eri smirked. "But I won't lose either! Here goes! _**FEATHER FANG!**_ "

After some spinning and posing, Eri sent a burst of blueish white flame in shape of feathered creature for Mirai Pad.

Eri blowed her sword's tip as if blowing away some smoke from a gun. Impressed, Astra, Haru, and Yuujin were all clapping for her.

"Don't just watch. You have to try it too!" urged Eri to Haru and Yuujin.

"Yeah! You too, Rei!" supported Astra, giggling at the stoic boy trapped in the form of yellow magical warrior. "Your attack should be handful enough for the monster to handle!"

Rei snorted and leveled his Melody Sword. _Revivemon's finishing move is Saver Starhl. And that girl's is Star Slash. So the new attack should be called..._

_**"Etoile Starhl."** _

Even though Rei's voice was lack of any sort of enthusiasm whatsoever, his utterance still managed to summon a swirling, glittering galaxy for Mirai Pad to absorb.

"I don't know if this is going to work but...," Yuujin closed his eyes, strumming his weapon equipped with the silvery crystal.  _ **"Amour Impulse!"**_

Which consisted a stream of small, jagged-edged hearts blended with pieces of tiny, silver crescent moons.

"Haru, yer the only one left!" pressed Harry.

"Eh...so...," Haru reluctantly inserted the newly made crimson crystal into Yell Tact, "...do you think _Flower Gazer_  is a good attack name?"

"It is!" Harry replied impatiently. "Just do it already!"

"You can do it, Haru!" Yuujin, Eri, and Astra cheered.

"Horray! Horray! _Haryu_!" Hugtan followed from behind Rei's back.

Haru gulped and took an aim.

_**"Flower...Gazer!"** _

A glowing reddish white sphere was expanding on tip of the tact through Haru's words. The sphere soon bloomed into shreds of light engulfing Mirai Pad, before getting absorbed like the others' attacks.

Having been fully charged, the magic artifact shone blindingly. Once the luster subsided, it floated away from Harry, and turned its face to the restricted monster.

The magic artifact's screen released brilliance in shape of hundreds white hearts. The bigger ones trapped the monster and its severed body parts, purifying them so that it could deliver his resignation. The smaller ones dispersed to cleanse the stained ground and surroundings. Some also gathered above the AppliDrivers, showering their blessing on Haru, Astra, and Yuujin.

"Sweet!" admired Astra, as the light washed every dirt away from his dress, hair, and face.

"Thank goodness, because honestly, the blood was really stinky," sighed Eri.

"Thank you, Harry-san," Haru and Yuujin said in unison.

Hurry chuckled, waving his hand. "Why thank me? It was yer powers right? The new Mirai Crystals were born because Mirai Pad and Mirai Crystal White acknowledged yer bravery, even though yer not the real Precure!"

Upon Harry's sincere kudos, Haru and friends smiled at each others. They undid their transformations, as the sun's light of tranquility shone upon their red-blushed cheeks.

"That's nice. But you sure haven't forgotten our real mission, right?" Rei asked, spreading his gaze to his friends. "To find Mirrormon and take back the store's mirror from him."

"...Now that you mention it, it's been a while since Ruru-san and the others entered the AR-Field," noted Yuujin.

"Do you think...something happened to them...?" Harry spoke in worry.

"I hope not...," said Haru, trying to sound as calm as he could. "They are this town's heroes, the real Precure after all."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Astra's mother being in Scouts once is just a thing I came up with. It's not an official fact.  
>   
> [2] I tried to make some connection between AppliDrivers' Mirai Crystals and their Appmon buddies symbols. Eri's, Astra's, and Yuujin's are kinda obvious. While Haru's should be a magnifying glass, I decided diamond shape for him as both magnifying glass and diamond are able to refract light. Rei's being barbed quatrefoil-shaped is to match Hackmon symbol that resembles a rose.  
>   
> [3] Rei didn't want to say "Star Starhl", because it would sound like a pun.


	18. Insertion: Hagyuu - part 1

Almost reflecting what Rei had reckoned before, Beauty Harry turned to be an antique museum inside the AR Field. Hana and friends managed to capture Mirrormon the "thief" Appmon on the backyard and start their negotiation as planned.

"New mirror, huh?" mused Mirrormon, observing the thing Homare-inside-Rei was holding.

"You're free to test its authenticity," offered Hackmon.

"And return the mirror you stole from this store!" demanded Gatchmon.

Mirrormon accepted the golden-framed mirror to examine it.

"It's genuine," muttered the mirror app Appmon. His appearance showed neither lips nor mouth, nor even face. The only thing indicating the presence of his head was the green hood he's wearing. His small, round eyes reflected so much light, like a pair of glowing yellow orbs amidst the shadow that hid his face. The mirror that became his characteristic was placed as his body. Dressing in green robes and white scarf, he also held a purple fan in his right hands.

"So? Will you trade it?" Hana asked hopefully.

"Well, seems to be a good deal for me. You can have this one," Mirrormon shrugged, releasing the mirror attached to him and put on the new one. "Even though...it sure was interesting to have the mirror that can switch people around."

"Hold on a second, Mirrormon-san! You seem to be aware that stealing this mirror may cause people's souls to get switched to each other's bodies. Why did you still take it?" Emiru-inside-Astra questioned. Her voice indicated that she's rather upset.

"Because it's fun, I guess?"

Emiru's brows winced, as the girl approached the Appmon in loud steps. "How could you be such―"

"Wait, Emiru!" halted Ruru-inside-Yuujin. "It's not Mirrormon."

"Eh?"

'Mirrormon' abruptly laughed. His voice changed into somewhat familiar for Precure. "Good job realizing it, young lady..."

Hana and friends gasped as the green Appmon spun towards them to reveal a face reflected inside his mirror.

"Dr. Traum!" The girls exclaimed in unison.

"He's the one who summoned the monster to attack Ruru, _ofu_!" Offmon remembered.

"Eh~? This old man?" said Musimon in lazing tone. "Uhmm.... His outfit has almost no sense to feel..."

"He does look dangerous, _wasu_!" cautioned Dokamon.

"A human?" Hackmon leered at Gatchmon.

"I can't affirm," replied Gatchmon, full of awareness. "But I guess this reflection on the mirror is kinda like hologram. The real him exists somewhere in real world, taking over Mirrormon's consciousness like a virus."

"But...why is Dr. Traum here?" wondered Hana.

"Hmm, originally, I wanted to settle my unfinished business with that red-headed young boy over there," Dr. Traum utterly indicated 'Yuujin', who actually contained Ruru. "But who would ever guess, that the Precure I fought earlier were a group of mere imposters, and the real ones were actually trapped inside that boy and his friends' bodies. Now that's what I'd call brilliant."

"Why did you have so much interest in Yuujin?" demanded Ruru in cautious fashion. Matching her, Offmon put on the most menacing glare his drooping eyes could muster.

Dr. Traum blinked and rounded his mouth for he found the girl's question to be a little bit surprising.

"Oh my, Ruru!" It's the first time Traum ever mentioned one of Precure's real name. "You don't realize it? How come?"

Ruru decided that Traum was only mumbling to lower her guard. "You're still not answering my question."

"Alright, alright," The doc yielded. "Well, beside the fact that he has interesting ability to control cute little monster there, he's also in fact―"

The mirror reflecting Traum's suddenly went blurry, before displaying a symbol consisting a stylized capital alphabet letter.

An L in red.

Gatchmon and his friends all went wide eyed at the symbol.

"That's...!"

Before the Appmon recovered from their bewilderment, and Precure got any clue what exactly had shocked the Appmon, various yet eerie and emotionless voices took over Mirrormon. One reflecting a male, one resembling female, another can't even be considered as either. They spoke different words in order. But the meaning was clear.

**_AppliDrivers, found._ _T_ _arget, locked._ **

Mirrormon leveled his fan to the girls and Appmon.

Dokamon dashed forward, putting up his durable metal palms to block the storm winds produced by the fan flapping.

Dokamon panted. "He's strong, _wasu_!"

"Even though he's a mere standard Appmon, who should be no match against us getting power-up from AppliDrives DUO...," gritted Gatchmon.

"Leviathan must be behind all this!" exclaimed Musimon.

"Who's Leviathan?" asked Hana.

"Is he the one controlling Mirrormon?" chased Ruru.

"There's no need to question it right now," returned Hackmon. Quiet but stiff. "We have to fight."

"Hana! Turn us into Ultimate Grade!" urged Gatchmon. His friends requested the same thing to their buddies' switching partners. "Even if the enemy is a Standard Grade, he has someone dangerous backing him up from behind!"

Five standard grade Appmon put on very stern expressions, that Precure couldn't simply dismiss the requests.

"Al-alright!"

Precure readied their AppliDrives, while Gatchmon and friends turned themselves into Ultimate Grade Appmon chips. Ruru would follow Emiru's lead on how to AppliArise an Appmon.

"APPMON CHIP! READY!" The five exclaimed, all posing according to their own characters. Their buddies chips went adjusting themselves into the AppliDrives' rings that split open.

After Hana and friends inserted themselves into the device, it loudly answered.

**_"ULTIMATE GRADE, APPLIARISE!"_ **

The girls then faced their AppliDrives outwards for the device to summon much stronger version of Gatchmon and friends.

**"GLOBEMON! APPMON WITH THE ABILITY OF GLOBAL!"**

**"OUJAMON! APPMON WITH THE ABILITY OF COMBAT!"**

**"ENTERMON! APPMON WITH THE ABILITY OF ENTERTAINMENT!"**

**"REVIVEMON! APPMON WITH THE ABILITY OF RESTORATION!"**

**"SHUTMON! APPMON WITH THE ABILITY OF FORCED TERMINATION!"**

 

AppliDrives' screams had finished doing roll calls for the Appmon's ultimate forms' names, but the Appmon themselves also wanted to do their own personalized roll call.

**"Globe! Global! Globalization! I'm the Appmon who stands at the center of the world, Globemon!"**

**"This is Oujamon, _jyaki_!"**

**"Wherever there's a festival, you will find me there! No Entermon, no life!"**

**"Restoring even a collapsed universe, Revivemon!"**

**"Existence that remains after entirety's terminus, Shutmon."**

...

...

The last one turned out to be unexpected by the others, as they all simultaneously whipped their heads to the handsome, werewolf Appmon.

"Wow, Shutmon~ That was your roll call?" Entermon pointed a pair of heavy metal finger signs at him. "What a nice rhythm to feel!"

"This is the first time I ever hear it! So cool, _jyaki_!" noted Oujamon, resulting a faint sheepish blush under Shutmon's dense fur.

"Well, it can't be helped. Shutmon's debut was really dangerous back then, that it didn't have time to deliver any signature phrase!" Globemon reminisced.

"Dangerous? What do you mean?" asked the startled Emiru.

"This guy used to be bad at controlling his own power," explained Globemon.

"I ended up injuring my own buddy, Yuujin, because of that," Shutmon lowered his head in guilt.

"...Hold on! So this vicious-looking werewolf...is the ultimate form of that super adorbs Offmon?" stared Homare, dumbfounded.

"No way!" Hana and Emiru echoed Homare's reaction.

"My..., that was unexpected," Saaya put a hand on her check. "Offmon-kun sure has gone through a lot to gain this form, hasn't he?"

Shutmon glared down at Ruru. "Yuujin is the only one who's able to keep me sane. You're not Yuujin, and I will not treat you as him."

For a second, the android girl was taken aback at the warning. But then she smiled. "I understand."

"Nevertheless, I'm willing to serve you with all my might if it can bring Yuujin back to normal."

"Even his way of talking is completely different from Offmon-kun's," mentioned Saaya worriedly.

"Is he really Offmon-kun?" Emiru doubted.

"As long as he moves according to his own will, then it should be the real him," remarked Ruru. "That's why, we have to defeat the enemies and recover the poor Mirrormon from their grasp."

As if being reminded, the girls and Appmon went back to their positions, facing the mirror app Appmon.

"Still, that was very kind of him to let us having this conversation without even trying to attack us," Hana scratched her cheek. "Maybe, he's not as bad as we thought?"

"Don't lose your guard, Hana," Globemon cautioned in low tone. "Leviathan is not someone you can compromise with. Even though he never revealed himself explicitly before, his subordinates have always been trying to kill us."

"Kill...?" Hana gulped.

"He himself even once succeeded in killing Shinkai Haru's grandfather," added Revivemon. "Having taken over a world-scaled corporation as its CEO, and also kidnapping Rei's brother to be his guinea pig."

"Brother?" Homare's eyes went huge. _So that's what he meant about losing something important..._

Hana and the girls were listening in shuddering fear.

"We're facing such dangerous opponent..."

"That's why Haru didn't want you to involve too much in this case," sighed Globemon. "Had I known that Leviathan would show himself like this..."

"He's moving!" warned Shutmon.

Mirrormon hovered off the ground. Cold robotic voices took over him again.

 ** _Begin extermination_**.

The mirror's surface shone in blinding luster, ambushing Globemon and the others' vision even though they have tried dodging. The Appmons couldn't risk themselves to move or float around while being temporarily blind.

"Are you okay, Globemon?" Hana flustered. The girls didn't seem to be affected.

"Yeah," replied the Global Appmon, eyes still closed.

Soon the light subsided, and they all opened their eyes to see what had happened.

Mirrormon was still in his place, sure. But in front of him were five other Ultimate Appmon, standing upright as if guarding him.

"What...are they...?" Hana's voice was trembling.

"They are...Entermon and the others!" declared Emiru.

Yes, the five new Appmon that appeared were perfect reflections of the heroes' Appmon team. The only exception was their red shade, which might sign that they're under Leviathan's influences.

"Did Mirrorrmon copy them, or something?" Homare suspected.

"Yeah. Probably...," Globemon said through grinded teeth.

"But I thought Copy-Paste ability is Copipemon's..." Oujamon doubted.

"Look carefully," Shutmon indicated. "That Shutmon's scissors on its back. The handles clearly slant to the opposite side as mine."

Entermon compared both Shutmons, and found out that their friend had his scissors' handles slanted to his right, while the other had them to its left.

"You're right! They're not copies. They're reflections."

"But they are so red...," noted Saaya. "Are they okay?"

"That red color... They're probably infected by L-Virus or even L-code," Revivemon reckoned. "That would make them even more dangerous than they seem to be."

"Whatever they are, we just have to finish them off, _jyaki_!" Oujamon roared.

"If they are mere reflections, then it has to be easy to bring down. Nothing is better than the original after all!" Globemon concentrated his energy into his chest. "Take this, imposter! _**GLANZ GAZER!**_ "

The other Appmon followed suit, unleashing their own finishing attacks.

**_"GOLDEN FANG!"_ **

**_"PORTEE MELOS!"_ **

**_"SAVER STARHL!"_ **

**_"LUNA IMPULSE!"_ **

In such terse period before the four energy beams and Shutmons's physical charge reached the targets, those reflections silently copied the heroes' movements. Collisions of ten forces coming from two different directions created enormous boom that shook the air.

The girls were almost blown away, if they had been closer to the battle field than they were actually now.

"I cannot believe it! The enemies are..." Emiru gasped.

"...imitating our friends...," continued Saaya in soft mutter.

"Their abilities and strengths are basically the same as Oujamon and the others," Ruru said as she observed.

"If that is really the case, it must be difficult to win this battle," Homare remarked.

Five intense duels occurred but no one seemed to get upper hand since each of their opponents always deployed the same attacks and techniques.

"Is there...anything that we can do?" murmured Homare as if towards herself, which made Hana ponder.

_That's right. I may not have enough wits to think fast and create plans like Haru-kun would do in this situation. But still, even I must do something...! Something that I'm capable to!_

Hana inhaled, using her hands as a funnel around her mouth.

"GLOBEMO~N! DON'T GIVE UP THE FIGHT! HOORAY! HOORAY! GLOBEMO~N!"

Inspired by the optimistic and plucky girl, her friends soon followed, giving their best supports for their buddies.

"HOORAY! HOORAY! OUJAMON! ENTERMON! REVIVEMON! SHUTMON!"

During Precure's unison cheers, Haru's Seven Code Band suddenly beeped, followed by one voice hastily calling for them.

_"Gatchmon? Hana-san? Everyone? Can you hear me?"_

"Haru-kun?" replied Hana, half-relieved and half-puzzled.

"How can you reach us here without having the watch?" asked Saaya in surprise.

"Let me guess, it's Rei the hacker, getting down to business," Homare chimed in.

And it turned out just like Homare assumed. The AppliDrivers, Harry, and Hugtan occupied Beauty Harry's cozy living room. Rei and Haru were sitting right in front of Saaya's laptop. While Eri, who's holding Harry-inside-Hugtan, and Astra were standing behind their sofa. Yuujin took place across them, with dozing Hugtan-inside-Harry settling her head on his lap.

Even though those in the real world and those who're fighting in the AR Field couldn't see what happened to each other, but at least, they could hear the voices.

 _"No one would pay me for this, though,"_  there was coming an implying answer from Rei.

"Geh..., so you're there too, huh?" Homare mumbled, hiding her embarrassment.

 _"Anyway, what's happening there?"_  Saaya's voice butted in, through Eri's control. _"You all have been going for too long, so we thought that we have to check what's going on."_

The five girls recounted their situation alternatively.

"Globemon and the others said, that someone named Leviathan is controlling Mirrormon."

"Leviathan!?" Four human breaths were held as the name was spoken. Yuujin, while not breathing in the first place, still expressed the same bewilderment.

"What? Who's this Leviathan?" demanded Harry in Hugtan's voice.

"Well..., in short, he's some kind of a Last Boss character," being the first one to be able to recollect himself, Astra was kind enough to provide an explanation. "Except his origin and name, we don't know much about him, including how he looks like, how he sounds, and what he's thinking about. But he has real reasons why he is regarded as the last boss. You better not finding out," Astra stole a glance to Haru and Rei.

"Includin' forcin' you to fight against your own reflection, huh...?" Harry folded his small arms, eyes closed. "Humm... That does sound like a problem if Hana and the girls can't come up with somethin' that the opposite guys lack..."

"What are you talking about? Of course they have something that the enemies don't have," Rei, having recovered himself from silence, spoke. "They have human buddies."

"Oh, I get it!" exclaimed Eri. "App link! We can overpower them that way!"

"App Link?" Harry lifted an eyebrow. "Is it really that great?"

Haru nodded for affirmation. "I think I have explained it to Hana-san, about how the Appmon chips that we have retrived from previous battles can be used as power supports for our buddies. Right, Hana-san?" Haru turned to the laptop's screen.

"I see! So this is what Haru-kun was talking about earlier!" Hana managed to take out Scorpmon chip out of her Seven Code Band.

"Press the A button on the AppliDrive's left side. It will trigger the App link function."

The laptop's speaker informed Hana trying to follow Yuujin's instructions through her mumbling and the sound of the AppliDrive.

"App Link using AppliDrive DUO will give you twice of the main Appmon's power plus the raw power of the linked Appmon," Yuujin added.

"You sure know too much for someone who's been an AppliDriver for just like three months," Rei commented softly, shifting his eyes off the laptop's screen to the boy across him.

Yuujin blinked, feeling troubled by that piercing gaze, "I ... sort of did App Link for Shutmon and Globemon once, so..."

"You did it with that clumsy buddy of yours guiding you?"

"Shutmon was too busy with his fight," Haru answered, trying to compromise with how Rei treated Yuujin as a new friend. "But, Globemon and I also were with him at that time..."

"What's your problem this time, Rei? You sounded like Yuujin had done some bad things," Astra tapped a finger on the hacker's shoulder.

"Yeah! He merely filled us about something that he knew...," Eri added, hand on hip.

"Hey, hey...," Harry interrupted like a wise big brother he should be. "Can't we just go back to the topic about how to defeat your mighty last boss, Mr. Levi for now?"

The AppliDrivers sobered, as Hana from the other side also exclaimed her readiness in performing App Link. So did her friends who were told to emulate her moves later. Hana told Haru that she was going to use Scorpmon.

Saaya would turn Oujamon to be the strongest among his peers for being linked with another ultimate grader, Warudamon.

Homare chose Craftmon in spite of Rei's instruction to use Dezipmon instead.

Contrasting her, Emiru matched Astra wanting to have his buddy linked with a super grader medical App Appmon, Medicmon.

For whatever reason, Shutmon refused to be linked with anyone from Yuujin's Seven Code Band, except Racemon. So Ruru had to settle with the racing game app Standard Grade Appmon.

Just like when they AppliArised their buddies earlier, Hana and friends were obligated to insert themselves into the AppliDrives, one more time.

_**APP LINK!** _

_**GLOBEMON, PLUS SCORPMON!** _

_**OUJAMON, PLUS WARUDAMON!** _

_**ENTERMON, PLUS MEDICMON!** _

_**REVIVEMON, PLUS CRAFTMON!** _

_**SHUTMON, PLUS RACEMON!** _

 

The power counters of the heroes' Appmon showed alarmingly high numbers. Being 133,000, 278,000, 92,000, 163,000, and 114.550, taken in order, respectively.

"All right!" cheered Astra, though he couldn't see the counters. "Now we're talkin'!"

Precure watched in awe, at how Globemon gained Scorpmon's riffle attached on his left arm in addition to his own aura blade on his right arm. Oujamon wore Warudamon's clawed red cape in proud, as if it was some kind of spoils of war. Entermon's big speakers on his back were now medical equipment consisting such as heart rate monitor and X-ray lanterns. Revivemon's tail tip morphed into a giant drill, resembling the one Craftmon had as the latter's left arm. Some parts of the Revivemon's claws also were modified into kinds of construction tools. Shutmon was equipped with a pair of roller skates. His enemy should beware that he's now as twice as faster than he had been before.

Judging from those seemed to be reliable power-ups, Globemon and friends should have the required upper hands against those imposters. However, it looked like that the battle wouldn't just easily end there.

"No...it can't be...."

Haru and friends heard some of the girls muttered under their breaths.

"What's wrong? Everyone...?"

"The enemies..." Hana breathed.

"They imitate those power ups from App Links too...," finished Homare in low tone.

 

 


	19. Insertion: Hagyuu - part 2

"Oh, come on, what is going wrong this time?" Dr. Traum groaned in front of a computer screen. His fingers ran back and forth over the keys. "I'm sure I have gotten rid of that virus having L letter as its symbol..."

That being said, the virus' symbol had dominated the whole display to the point that he couldn't operate his computer at all.

"Is it now taking over my system? Wait..., what is this...?" Dr. Traum stopped typing. The man's pupils shrunk as they got locked at the screen. The symbols displayed eerily began to melt into some corrupted, yet still readable sentences of warning.

"You...have...," Traum read. "...stepped... out of border."

 

\--

 

"What!? The enemies imitate App Link too?" Rei jerked.

"How come? They don't even have human buddies to begin with," Eri frowned.

"Could it be...because they are really a group of reflections?" Haru drawled. "That explains why they could mirror whatever actions Globemon and the others took."

"That's ridiculous!" Astra yapped. "There would be no end to this fight if the enemies just keep imitating us!"

"Except...," Hana absentmindedly sent a whispered voice through her Seven Code Band. "If we can transform into Precure and help them..."

"Transform...?" Haru and friends looked at each other, "But that's..."

"Ah...! I'm sorry!" exclaimed Hana later. "I understand it's impossible to use PreHeart right now! I just...really want to help Globemon and the others..."

Moved by the girl's full of guilt voice, Haru took out the PreHeart from his pocket.

"Yeah," he murmured, looking down at the device. "I wish I could be there too."

Rei observed Haru's gesture and the transformation device in his hand.

"Wait, that could have work...," Rei took out Homare's PreHeart and stared it deeply for a while.

"What? What could have work?" prompted Astra and Eri.

Rei put down the PreHeart, inhaled deeply, and looked at the others' curious eyes. "This may sound absurd, but you have to bear with it this time."

"We will help you, whatever the plan, Rei," Yuujin gave a nod of approval, trying to fix anything that put him arguably under Rei's skin lately.

Rei stared back at the boy, as if measuring something out of him.

"First, I need you to provide me with the data regarding those Precure's fighting abilities."

"Eh? Me?" Yuujin pointed at himself, as Rei only looked at him alone when expressing that request.

"You're an android now. Data is your food and blood," Rei whipped the laptop around so the screen was now facing Yuujin. "Input that here."

"But still, even if Ruru-san really has the data, I don't know where and how to get those..."

"I can help you regarding that," Ruru then fluently dictated for Yuujin, the place where she had put a copy of her friends' data inside her internal memory, and how to gain an access into it.

"Now, with that settled," Rei continued, speaking for the ones in AR Field. "I need the 'Shinkai Haru' there to AppliArise Ropuremon. And you, who are having my AppliDrive now. Use Protecmon to guard Ropuremon from Mirrormon's influence."

"...He can mention Hana's switching partner name, but why didn't he properly say my name too? Talk about being rude...," grumbled Homare quietly. Fortunately, it's not that hard to bring the Appmon chip out

"He maybe just hasn't memorized our names yet," Saaya tried to reassure.

"How about me? And Saaya-san? What should we do?" Emiru's questions sounded like they're being asked with glittering eyes, hoping for a task.

Rei sighed. "Wait for the jobs to get done. And then you would be able to transform."

"Eh?"

"Wait! Seriously?!" Astra represented everyone's surprise.

"We're done," Yuujin lifted his head.

Rei took over the laptop, and spoke. "Prepare Ropuremon to receive data from the real world."

"Eh? Uh...?" Hana sounded confused.

"Hana-san, your AppliDrive!" Haru reminded. "It will help you see what you have to do!"

"R-right!" Hana settled the AppliDrive facing upwards, and the device displayed Ropuremon's symbol, along with some detail regarding the transferred data. A dialog box also appeared, asking for the AppliDriver's approval. She gave hers, and the data transfer process began.

"I see...," Ropuremon looked impressed. "This is some interesting game. You play as magical warriors fighting for everyone's tomorrow, huh?"

"Hey! This is not a game! We are the real Precure!" protested Emiru.

"It's alright, Emiru-chan," assured Saaya. "I think I know what they are trying to do. By turning this field into an RPG world, we can reprise our role as magical warriors, just like in the real world."

"Give your AppliDrives to Ropuremon to receive data from him," Rei commanded. "Once this step complete, the AppliDrives will act as your transformation devices."

"Right!"

"...Wait a second...Rei-kun," Haru asked in alarm. "By transformation device..., you mean, Hana-san and her friends will transform into Precure..., while still being us?"

Rei didn't reply. Both of his eyes were shaded under his long bangs.

Haru went pale once he realized the answer.

On the other hand, Eri and Astra looked very excited with the idea of themselves being magical girls. They envied their Appmon buddies for being able to witness that scarce footage.

"If I ask Emiru to AppliArise Dogamon and record it―"

"Don't you ever dare, Astra-kun!" Both Haru and Rei whipped their heads back, expressing their objection in unison to the young Apptuber, except that Rei didn't even bother to call Astra, let alone with honorific.

Yuujin could only laugh at his friends' conflicted reactions. Hugtan on his lap still dozed off, undisturbed by the commotion around her.

 

\--

 

 

**"Embracing the bright future!"**

**"Cheering for everyone! Precure of Spirit! Cure Yell!"**

**"Healing everyone. Precure of Wisdom, Cure Ange!"**

**"Shining upon everyone! Precure of Power, Cure Etoile!"**

**"Loving everyone! Precure of Love!"**

**"Cure MaCherie!"**

**"Cure Amour."**

**"Hugtto! Precure!"**

Not wanting to waste anymore time, Cure Yell shouted determinedly, "Let's assist them, everyone!"

"Right!"

"Okay!"

The girls used Etoile's stars as their stepping stones in order to jump into the battle field fast, their greeting blows hitting squarely at their buddies' reflections.

"What the―!? Haru?!"

"Eri-chan?!"

"Astra, is that you?"

"Nice outfit, Rei..."

"Yuu...jin...?"

"No, no!" The entity inside Haru's figure corrected, as she landed back onto Etoile's hovering star. "This is still me, Hana! I mean, Cure Yell!"

Her friends confessed the same thing to their Appmon buddies.

"But...why's that look?" Globemon represented his friends, asking in bewilderment at their buddies' unforeseen cosplay.

"To help you all, of course!" Cure Yell displayed seriousness by flourishing her Melody Sword. Everyone followed suit.

"No need to worry. They can't imitate Precure's shadows or attacks, even though we are this close to you!" Cure Ange pointed it out to Oujamon.

"Protectmon has bestowed us some protection program or whatever it is, to guard us against Mirrormon and Leviathan's influences," Cure Etoile explained, looking down where Ropuremon and Protectmon were waiting for them.

"Entermon-san, please attack the enemy with all your might! We're quite agile in Precure form, so you do not have to worry about accidentally running into us," assured Cure MaCherie loud.

Entermon seem to be snickering under his long muffler. "Are you kidding? You bet I will give my best! You better do too, because we're going to..."

"...totally feel it!" MaCherie joined Entermon, yelling his and Astra's catchphrase passionately.

"So...you're still not Yuujin...," said Shutmon, his blade blocked for numerous times by his own shadow. "Don't worry. I will follow your command. This is what Yuujin wishes too, isn't it?"

Cure Amour nodded. "I'm aware that you was once a berserker, so much that you craved for someone worthy to hold your leash. But I am here to replace Yuujin as your friend, not your master. Please do what ever you feel necessary in this battle. I will earnestly support you."

Shutmon's eyes widened at the remark, but then his muzzle showed a grin. "You're something else. I guess Yuujin would say the same if he was here."

Ruru gently smiled back. "I'm inside his body, after all."

"All right. Here goes," Shutmon marked, taking up a fighting stance, ready to dash towards the enemy. Cure Amour followed, holding her guitar tighter.

_**"LUNA―"** _

_**"―ROCK 'n ROLL!"** _

Stream of little purple hearts managed to disturb their enemy's vision and movement. Shutmon's eyes flashed threateningly as his twin blades dove into that shower of hearts, scoring double slashes through the imposter.

_**"PORTEE―"** _

_**"―POPPIN'!"** _

Enveloping the enemy inside a big loaf of red heart (since Entermon species didn't have any mouth), so that Astra's Entermon could thrust Portee Melos' ribbon-like musical staves into the reflection stunned by its own burp.

_**"SAVER―"** _

_**"―SLASH!"** _

_**"GOLDEN―"** _

_**"―BLAST!"** _

Etoile and Ange infused their starry and feathery beams into Revivemon and Oujamon's techniques respectively. Grinding both enemies into amorphous red dim lights that soon faded into nothingness.

_**"GLANZ―"** _

_**"―SHOOT!"** _

Cure Yell's flower stamp coming for the enemy, was utterly sped up by the propulsion of Globemon's bursting ray of light. It smashed into the fake Globemon, before Glanz Gazer finished its existence.

"Now it leaves you, Mirrormon!" exclaimed Yell, pointing her sword forwards.

"Or should I say, Leviathan...," Globemon growled.

The mirror app Appmon was still, giving no audible answer. Globemon and friends saw that as their chance to purify it.

_**"GLANZ GAZER!"** _

_**"GOLDEN FANG!"** _

_**"PORTEE MELOS!"** _

_**"SAVER STARHL!"** _

_**"LUNA IMPULSE!"** _

Just when those five deathly attacks rushed to their sole target, Leviathan's symbol on the surface of the mirror suddenly disappeared. It got replaced by blurred image of somebody reflected on the mirror.

"Ugh..., that was a very skillful jamming, wasn't it?" he grumbled. "All right, Precure, where was I...?"

"Dr. Traum!?" Ruru was the first one to recognize him.

Unfortunately, Globemon and the others couldn't terminate their ambush, not that they wanted to anyway. But the poor Dr. Traum ended up getting his broadcast for Precure in the AR Field ruined again because of all damages Mirrormon suffered.

"That...was an overkill," commented Cure Etoile, following her friends canceling their transformations. "Even though Dr. Traum deserved that, I don't know about Mirrormon..." She glanced down at the poor, unconscious Appmon.

"I will fix him in case it is necessary," Revivemon was the only one not to revert to his standard form soon after the battles were over, for he thought that his ability was still needed.

"Wait. You can do that?" Homare turned to the black as night, humongous dragon-like Restoration Appmon whose look actually screamed destruction or anything similar, rather than healing others.

"They say you can not judge somebody by their covers," Emiru quoted.

"So, Revivemon is like the healer among the Appmon...," concluded Saaya. "That is interesting."

"We also has Saaya-chan's healing ability," added Dokamon blithely. "With two healers in our team, I'm sure Mirrormon will be okay, _wasu_!"

"I hope you're right, Dokamon," sighed Gatchmon. "He's the only clue we have about how to bring Haru, Hana, and the others back to normal."

Mirrormon woke up after a while. It turned out that the healing wasn't necessary. When Gatchmon told him what had happened and what implications had occured for him stealing Beauty Harry's mirror, the Appmon straight off apologized time and time again.

"Promise us that you won't sweep other people's properties without any notice, even if they resemble yours," Gatchmon glared, folding arms. It's a good thing that Mirrormon turned out to be responsible enough to apologize. If not, Gatchmon's temper wouldn't make this easy.

"Now, now," Hana mediated. "Can we go back to the main topic? Haru-kun and the others are waiting for us."

 

\--

 

"Ugh...what happened...?" Dr. Traum held his spinning head.

Finding himself lying on the floor, he tried ro remember. _Something...kind of electrocuting me... after..._

The doc jerked by sudden realization, and rushed to his computer screen. His eyes opened wholly. All the observation result about the red-headed android boy were all gone. Nothing was left.

Except some words of warning, signed by another red L insignia.

 

\--

 

"To get your friends back to normal, huh...?" Mirrormon contemplated. "Honestly though, I never came across anything like this case before. But if you really want to know how to fix the body swap, I think you must ask the mirror that has caused it."

"Ask...the mirror?" The Appmon and Precure exchanged glances.

The girls went surrounding the mirror put flat on the ground.

"Uhm? Excuse me, Mirror-san?" Hana-inside-Haru ventured. "Sorry for the inconvenience, but could you lend us a hand?"

"But it doesn't have any hand, Hana," Ruru-inside-Yuujin commented in serious tone.

"I think what Hana-senpai meaned was for the Mirror willing to help us, in someway...," Emiru-inside-Astra opined.

"...Ah, I see. That form of speech was indeed written in the books."

"Maybe we should greet the mirror like the evil queen in Snow White story did," the 'Eri' with Saaya's hairstyle suggested with an amused voice. "'Mirror, Mirror on The Wall..."

"Saaya, we're not questioning who's the fairest in all land...," Homare-inside-Rei reminded with a chuckle. "Besides, you usually put it on a wall instead on the ground..."

"Why does this suddenly turn into some kind of literature class...?" Gatchmon helplessly squinted his eyes.

"I don't know, but this has kinda nice rhythm to feel," Musimon casually responded.

"Nothing has nice rhythm if Eri-chan and the others can't get back to normal, _wasu_!

"He's right, _ofu_!"

Hackmon shifted glance to Mirrormon. "Can you be more useful a little? This is getting nowhere, though? "

The Mirror App Appmon lowered head in guilt. "I'm sorry..."

"Mirror-saaan...?" Hana attempted again, this time stroking a hand on its surface. "Are you alive there? We need your help to―WHOAAA?!"

"Hana!" the girls all jerked at sight of Hana getting sucked into the mirror. Ruru's reflex was good enough to catch her hand, but she ended up getting sucked as well.

"Ruru! Hana-senpai!" Emiru frantically tried to pick up the mirror and..., ended up joining the two older girls as well.

Musimon whooped. "Emiru-chan too!?"

"Hey, what's going on here? Where does the mirror lead them to?" Homare whirled to the Appmon behind her.

"Oh, I get it!" Mirrormon blurted. "The mirror leads them to their original bodies!"

"But if that's true, the bodies should have remained here. Since the switched ones are just their souls," noted Hackmon. "Nevertheless, it seems worth trying."

As the hooded Appmon said that, he lifted one of his front leg to push Homare down into the mirror.

"Wait..., what are you―!" Homare couldn't manage to utter any objection. Because as her arm was dipped into the mirror's surface, it straight off led to her disappearance.

"Homare!" Saaya couldn't help but follow her. "Dokamon-kun, please take care of the others!" she called upon her buddy as she drowned herself into the mirror.

"Saaya-chan, please be careful!" Dokamon tearfully let her go. He had tried, but it did seem that the Appmon couldn't penetrate the mirror like the girls did.

They could only wait for now.

 

\--

 

Hana gently felt her own face to make sure that the reflection on the mirror was indeed her. _Curly pink hair, funny bangs, and this small, childish body..._ "I'm me again!" She raised her hands in the air, exclaiming happily.

"Fhew..., this morning sure was a long morning, wasn't it?" Haru noted, wearing back his goggles, after letting it to be worn on Hana's head for a while.

"It's kind of reassuring, seeing Haru's head with his goggles again," Yuujin remarked, with a smile.

"You're right," echoed Gatchmon, grinning.

Gatchmon and the other Appmon eventually joined everyone in the real world, after their human buddies had picked them up, using their AppliDrives and of course, their finally retrieved real bodies.

Both Saaya and Eri changed their hair to its usual style. So did Emiru and Astra. Emiru had Eri helping her to style her hair back to twin tails.

"The real Emiru-chan is so cute, isn't she, Doka-chan? That silly Astra posing as her, made me not realize it," commented Eri as she put ribbon on the younger girl's hair.

"Astra was cool too, even as Emiru, for me~" Musimon chimed.

"Because of the twin tails, Eri-chan and Emiru-chan just like sisters, _wasu_!" admired Dokamon.

"N-No such thing!" Emiru groggily replied. "I am nothing compared to Karan Eri-san from AppliYama 470!"

Ruru nodded. "Yes, there are lots of things we have to learn from you as a senior idol. Please take care of us."

"Now, now, don't be so stiff! Even I'm still the newest member in AppliYama!" Eri chuckled. "You have Saaya-chan, the legendary Vegetables Girl as a friend. Now, that is something!"

"'L-Legendary'...? Eri-san, you're exaggerating it! I'm not that good enough to be called a legend...!" Saaya weakly argued.

Eri waved off the younger girl's protest. "Well, if you all really want to talk about anything, I will gladly listen. As a fellow entertainer, it is."

"To think that Eri-san is the member of that popular idol group...," Hana mumbled. "I wish I brought something for her to sign..."

"Well... her body acted as Saaya when we first met, and thus wearing her glasses. So, I guess that's why we didn't straight off recognize her," Homare reflected.

"Hey! It's already past noon!" Astra exclaimed, his messy blonde hair buried under his hat. "No wonder I'm getting hungry."

"Let me buy something for everyone," Harry stood up. "After being a baby for a half of day, my body will get stiff if I don't walk around."

"Do you need a company?" asked Homare.

Harry shook head. "Nah, I'm okay. Besides, it seems that y'all really need to talk to each other. Aren't ya curious at how the AppliDrivers defeated Bishin's monster, or how did they manage to create those new Mirai Crystals?"

"I...don't really want to talk about how defeating that creature...," murmured Eri. "And I guess Saaya-chan and the others wouldn't want to hear it too."

Harry understandingly chortled. "Anyways, I've gotta go. Have a good time, but please take care of the shop while I'm gone!"

The other teens nodded and waved. "Be careful on your way!"

Harry left, leaving Hugtan and the two groups sharing their stories.

"Still..., using the new Magic Crystals to unleash the new attacks did really make us feel the rhythm, don't you think?" Astra chimed in.

"It's Mirai Crystals, Astra-kun," Saaya corrected.

"Well, that was I wanted to say," Astra shrugged.

"Is it really okay for us to have your Mirai Crystals?" asked Homare.

"After getting back to normal, there's no way that we can use those, after all," Rei reasoned.

"I'm still thinking that _Flower Gazer_ wasn't really a good name...," Haru said under his breath.

"Hey, you used my move's name to name yours!" snapped Gatchmon, hearing his buddy's remark. "If anything, it must sound cooler than anything you might have come up!"

"Don't worry, Haru-kun. Gatchmon's right!" Hana earnestly cheered. "It did sound cool."

"Feather Fang, too, _wasu_!" Dokamon butted in. "It sounded beautiful and fierce. Just like Eri-chan!"

"I'm still wondering, how did you create the new Mirai Crystals? Especially this sharp notation-shaped one. It looks so unique and cute!" Emiru asked as she admiring Astra's golden-shaded crystal on her hand.

Sitting by Emiru's side, Ruru intently stared at the said crystal.

"...It...looks like a piece of waffle...."

"Ru-Ruru! This is not to be eaten!" Emiru desperately took the crystal out from Ruru's reach.

 

\--

 

"That was a good meal!" praised Astra, patting his stuffed stomach.

"To think all of these were bought from convenience store...," Rei muttered. Even Hackmon ate a lot. No wonder since the hooded Appmon had always been feed with energy jelly drink, reflecting his human buddies.

"Well, everything would taste best when you're hungry, they said," Harry patted Hackmon's head, much to Rei's annoyance. Hackmon himself didn't even try to deny the touch

"You should buy things like these more often, instead of just Choo Choo Jelly, Rei," evoked Hackmon.

"...You talked too much."

 

\--

 

The AppliDrives and their buddies helped cleaning the dishes and such, before taking their leave.

"We will meet again, right?" asked Emiru hopefully.

Astra made a heavy metal sign. "Of course, we will!"

"Just don't make us to come out from nowhere just like today~" Musimon half-whined.

 

"Please take care of yourselves," Saaya smiled.

"You too, Saaya-chan!" Eri and Dokamon grinned back. "Uh..., lots of bewildering things we brought to you all today, but..."

"Please don't feel bad. Today was pretty fun! I do mean it!"

 

"I learned a lot from becoming human, even just for a brief of time," Ruru gave a small bow. "Thank you."

Yuujin shook head. "I should be the one who's grateful. Ruru-san's abilities have very much helped us today."

"Ruru was strong, _ofu!"_ remarked Offmon innocently. Contrasting his vicious werewolf image that Ruru had witnessed a while ago.

 

"You will definitely defeat that Leviathan-guy, Haru-kun, Gatchmon. I'm sure of it!" Hana leveled both her fists up to her shoulders in determined fashion.

Haru nodded, followed by his buddy. "Good luck to you too, Hana-san!"

"Make sure you beat all the craps of those evil monsters!" exclaimed Gatchmon.

"Yes! We've promised to protect everyone's future, after all!"

 

Homare avoided Rei's eyes, arranging some parting words inside her head.

"That's...about your brother..." Homare rubbed the back of her neck, eyes still wandering. "I'm sorry to hear that..."

Rei stunned, but then glaring down at his buddy.

"Ah, I gave her a little hint. Sorry about that," Hackmon's round, wide eye peeking up from under his black hood didn't really seem to reflect any guilt, though.

Rei respired soft, helpless breath, before facing the girl in front of him. "Hackmon and I will bring him back. You'll see."

 

"It's time for us to go home, I guess..." Haru and friends lined up in front of the store, staring at their new friends for the last time.

"Hagyuu...!"

Hugtan let out an exclaim, summoning a portal for Haru and the others. The Appmon clung to their human buddies as their feet levitated off the ground.

"See you again! Precure!"

"Bye bye!"

"We'll miss you!"

"Take care!"

Both parties kept waving their hands until the borders between dimensions impaired their sight of each other.

 

\--

 

 

 

 

 

EPIlOGUE

 

Dr.Traum wilted in his chair. "Ohh...when I thought I could finally fix anything wrong from RUR-9500, using the data from that impressively-human android boy..."

His hand reached for a cup of tea on his desk. Taking some sip to calm his spinning head.

"So...that red-haired boy is the 'child' of this 'red L' virus sender's, huh...?"

He glanced inside his mug. A wrinkled face was reflected on the surface of his tea.

"They went from hacking RUR-9500, to sending this virus just to protect that boy from me. What a formidable parent, aren't they? I honestly felt defeated a little. Not to mention that the boy acts really natural, so human, as if being alive...to the point that even Ruru can't identify him as a robot... I wonder how long I have to live, to reach that level of theirs?"

Putting down his mug, he shifted his attention back to his computer's screen.

"No...not that's not it. That L thing...they desire something more dangerous... And that boy...is an important tool for them to grasp that purpose. So important that they must keep the boy's real nature hidden. And then...when the time is right..."

Traum sniggled at his own mumbling. "To be able to have such inclement imagination about this L-guy..., even I've still got some childish side in me, huh?"

The veteran scientist stood up, walking out his cramped room.

"Maybe I should give my own 'daughter' a proper visit too..."

 

 

END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly never thought this story would need 19 chapters to end. I hope I ended this well. Thank you so much for reading, everyone!


End file.
